A Tamil library stands testament of Capitalism
The Thirumathi Lakshmi Valar Tamizh library, recently donated by P.A Chidambaram, former Finance Minister of India. The library is a transformative social gift, uplifting society through knowledge to people of Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu.
To me, this library is not just a physical structure but a reflection of the philanthropic spirit of the Nagarathar Chettiars, a mercantile social group in India. P.A Chidambaram (1945) is the great‑great‑grandson of Sathappa Ramanatha Muthiah (1840–1900).
Figure: Sathappa Ramanatha Muthiah Chettiar (1840–1900), visionary patriarch of the Nagarathar Chettiars.
Nagarathar Chettiars are a Tamil social group who modeled a unique form of Tamil capitalism rooted in dharma, unwavering service, and long‑term vision. Sathappa Ramanatha Muthiah Chettiar embodied the finest values of wealth with restraint, discipline with devotion, Saivism with simplicity, and capitalism rooted in local culture.
I am genuinely in awe of this contribution. A library of this scale likely represents a capital expenditure of ₹60–70 crores (US $10–15 million).
To me, it’s not the monetary value but the spirit of the act that moves me deeply, communicating timeless values of the Nagarathar Chettiars: frugality, hard work, faith, and the wise use of wealth to uplift Tamil society. In contrast, industrialists in regions like Nagercoil and Tirunelveli often operate within narrow social circles focused on family prestige, status, or short‑term gain. The Nagarathar Chettiars embodied a higher purpose and long‑term vision.
“Commerce for the Chettiars was not merely a means to accumulate wealth. It was a disciplined moral order…They built tanks to water fields, schools, colleges, to educate, temples to bind communities, and libraries to refine minds.”
— David West Rudner, Caste and Capitalism in Colonial India
Therefore, we all can learn from these timeless values—practice them and share them.
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