TT Rangaswamy, a financial wiz at TVS Group, passes away at 97

CHENNAI: Former ED (Finance) and Company Secretary of Brakes India TT Rangaswamy passed away aged 97 at his home on Wednesday morning.

He is survived by wife Vimala, elder son TT Narendran, former Professor, IIT-M and TT Srinivasaraghavan, former MD, Sundaram Finance, daughters in law and grandchildren. He was associated with the TVS Group companies including Lucas

TVS, Brakes India and Turbo Energy for over five decades TT Rangaswamy (TTR) had a triple professional degree

- quite a significant achievement in the 1940s and 50s. He was a Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant and a Company Secretary.

In the 1950s, he worked at Standard Vacuum Oil Company in Delhi and Bombay. When the industrial transformation took place in Padi with the setting up of several manufacturing plants by the TVS Group, TS Santhanam, who founded Sundaram Finance in 1954 and also invested in many of these start ups, roped in TTR for the finance expert’s role at Lucas TVS and thus TTR made the move from Bombay to Padi.

The 1960s and 70s were an exciting growth phase for the companies in the TVS Group and TTR turned out to be the trusted lieutenant of auto legend Santhanam. He retired from Brakes India as ED - Finance (modern day CFO) and Company Secretary.

When his son TT Srinivasaraghavan (who retired in March this year after 18 years as MD) started out on a career at Sundaram Finance in the early 1980s, TTR handed him a great life message that stayed with him right through his corporate life “He always led a simple life and wanted me to be approachable to everyone. People Management is the most important skill,” TTS remembers his father telling him at a young age.

“Even though my appa was in finance, he saw the people connect as important. It was from him that I learnt to put people first.”

Srinivas Acharya, former MD, Sundaram Home Finance, knew TTR for many decades. “Sri TTR combined what was the best about the old tradition and what is good about the current. He held on to his personal way of managing matters and never relied on technology. That also explains why he was never wrong. He connected individually with everyone. I enjoyed his love and affection ever since I got to know him. He was a thorough professional, very kind and encouraging. He had a sharp memory and would quote events from the years gone by. He was truly a divine figure who looked after us like a father. I am sorry to lose him.”

TTS says while his father had become a little immobile in recent times, his memory remained razor sharp till the very end and he kept himself abreast of the happenings in the industry and economy.