THE FIRST FAMILY OF MADRAS (CHENNAI): On Sunday (06.12.2009), over a hundred members of `The First Family of Madras, from all over the world, had their get together at a dinner organised by the Appah & Co.Trust, Chennai, to recall their ancestor, Beri Thimmappa. That Beri Thimmappa was one of the founders of Madras is not recognised anywhere in the city, but delighted to see this family recalling him not only as the man responsible for their lineage but also as the person who helped create the city they now call home. The present descendants of Beri Thimmappa trace their lineage to two of his great great great grandsons, Ketty Thimmappah Bashyam Naidu and Ketty Narayanappah Naidu. The brothers contributed generously to the city and each has been remembered for his contributions. A small triangular park - with a cupola and a bust of Bashyam Naidu in it - is called the Bashyam Naidu Park and serves as a roundabout near their home, Appah Gardens, on Appah Garden Road, off Taylors Road, Kilpauk. The younger brother is remembered in a road name, Narayanappah Road in George Town, leading off from Rajaji Salai at the southern end of Customs House. The two brothers, left fatherless before they were two years old, were brought up by their maternal uncle, Goday Parthasarathy Naidu, who guided them after their studies to set up Appah & Co. in 1894. This provision store was started in their then family house at 125 Audiappa Naick Street, Black Town. Two years later, it had grown into a wholesalers, dominating the chillies, coriander, turmeric and groundnut trade in Madras. In 1899, it moved into handsome premises it had built at 2 Chinnathambi Mudali Street, Black Town. The office was served by huge godowns near the Harbour. As the next generation came along, diversification began. In May 1928, Bashyam Naidus third son, K. Alavandar Naidu, and his cousin, K. Venkapathi Naidu - who was a few years later to qualify as a pharmacist - and two others in the two families who had, like them, just passed out of college started the business of Appah & Co, Pharmaceutical Chemists, in newly built premises at 286 China Bazaar Road (todays NSC Bose Road). The premises were re-modelled in 1934 to cope with the firms increasing popularity. Venkatapathi Naidu was later to be elected the President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Madras. Bashyam Naidus eldest son, K. Venkataswami Naidu, was perhaps the person whose name was most associated with Madras after the Beri Thimmappa contribution. He was a Mayor of Madras, Deputy President of the Madras Legislative Assembly and Minister for Religious Endowments and Registration (1952-54) in the Rajaji Government. As President of the Madras Cooperative Housing Construction Society he was deeply involved in the development of the new housing colonies in Gandhinagar, Kasturbanagar and Venkatesapuram, northeast of the B & C Mills. And carrying on his fathers deep commitment to religious activities, he accepted the presidency of the Tirumalai Tirupathi Devasthanams. But the only place his name is to be publicly seen in the city is on a dilapidated shell of a building across from the Bata showroom and next to the Madras Mahajana Sabha building at the Anna Salai-Wallajah Road junction. (near Old Round Tana). The last vestiges of the Appah & Co businesses was the Narayanappah Pharmacy in Nungambakkam. But that too passed out of the hands of a member of the family. Today, the family comprises mainly of professionals.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Aug 2014 10:46:07 +0000