V Seshasayee

Origin of the Seshasayee Group

V Seshasayee and R Seshasayee were friends from childhood and not really brothers (although the latter married the former's sister). On completion of their studies, R. Seshasayee left for Singapore to improve his skills while V. Seshasayee pursued his career in India. V. Seshasayee's electrical wiring skills were noticed by Chief Electrical and Signals Engineer of the South Indian Railway, Mr. Winter, who helped him hone them. When R. Seshasayee returned to India, the two collaborated to start their first business venture which was called "The Seshasayee Brothers Engineering Works".

Pioneers of electricity in Madras Province

Soon afterwards, they were employed by the Raja of Ramnad to electrify his palace and set up an ice-making plant. This was a success and shortly afterwards, they were working to electrify the city of Devakottai in the Chettinad region and Hindu temples all way from Madurai to Rameswaram.

At the time, Madras was the only town in the Province with electricity. Power supply was provided by a D.C. system installed by Crompton's for a British electricity company. The Seshasayees fought and got licences to light up Devakottai in 1927 and Trichinopoly-Srirangam in 1928. The Devakottai Company and the Trichinopoly Company were eventually merged in 1940 to form the South Madras Electric Supply Corporation Ltd.

Death of friend R. Seshasayee

R. Seshasayee had a keen interest in aviation. This interest proved to be fatal when he crash-landed while landing his aircraft over the National College campus where he had just dropped flowers over Mahatma Gandhi, who was there to give a public speech. This was in the year 1934 and had a tremendous impact on his companion and business partner V. Seshasayee.

Later years

V. Seshasayee founded Mettur Chemicals (1936-41), Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (1944-47), Aluminium Industries, Kundara (1950) and Travancore-Cochin Chemicals. He died in 1958 and was succeeded by S. Viswanathan.