Thangal Kunju Musaliar
Thangal Kunju Musaliar was born into a middle-class family at Kollam on 12 January 1897. His ancestry can be traced to Malik Bin Deenar, the legendary Islamic missionary who came to India in the 8th Century. The name Thangal Kunju Musaliar conjures up the memories of an era, when Kerala dominated the cashew export trade. He was a pioneer in this field who build up a vast business empire through impeccable planning and systematic implementation. By 1940, he had the unique distinction of being one of the world's largest employers, employing over 100,000 people. In 1956, while at the peak of his business career, Musaliar formed the TKM Educational Trust to cater to the educational needs of the people of Kerala. The Trust established institutions such as TKM College of Engineering, TKM College of Arts and Science, TKM Institute of Technology, TKM Institute of Management, TKM Secondary School, TKM Centenary Public School and the TKM School of Architecture.
Musaliar is the author of the 1949 book, Man and the World, Practical Philosophy and Law of Nature.