People are capable of writing their own success stories, regardless of how difficult or hostile the circumstances are. Some people shun their aristocratic roots and begin their own story from nothing.
Dharmarathnakara Rai Bahadur Arcot Narrainsawmy Mudaliar One such example was the one who became The Merchant of Bangalore with His hard work, perseverance, and determination. His great-grandfather, a member of an aristocratic historical family, was the secretary to Raja of Gingee.
Arcot Narrainswamy Mudaliar grandfather Muthu Pillai worked as a supplier to the Raja. He did well, but his son Muniyappa Mudaliar was almost starved due to many unfortunate events that happened in his life. It decimated the family’s fortune. After his father died, Mudaliar, a 10-year-old boy, took over the responsibility of a very poor family consisting of his mother and two brothers.
Arcot Narrainswamy Mudaliar was born on May 14, 1827. After working odd jobs, he began selling vegetables at 22 years old in 1850. He would purchase vegetables from nearby villages, then transport them to Bangalore or Chennai. Mudaliar was a successful entrepreneur in the vegetable trade, and then he tried his hand at salt trading.
He began buying Madras salt and selling it to local shops in Bangalore. With his capital, he opened a shop at the Cantonment. His customers increased quickly, and Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the Maharaja of Mysorehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mysore, became his loyal client in 1859.
Mudaliar was an honest and straightforward humanitarian. Later, Mudaliar became a well-known philanthropist, thanks to the influence of Tamil Saints. He spent many years helping the needy and poor.
He was a poor man who saw the helplessness and despair of the poor. He believed that money could make a difference and helped them. He was a prolific fundraiser and initiated social reforms. These include Subramanyaswamy Temple, Muthusawmy Mudaliar Choultry, Thirukulathar School in Halasur, Technical School for Civil Engineering, Kancheepuram, Technical School for Civil Engineering, and Technical School for Civil Engineering.
