S. Bethannan

S. Bethannan was an Indian politician and Businessman, in the state of Tamil Nadu. He was a Municipal Chairman of Thanjavur Municipality from DMK. He is remembered as the one of the honest and able administrator in managing the Thanjavur Municipality during his time and had wide acceptance across political party lines and all walks of life. He was one of the initial member of the DMK party.
Early life
He was born in the year 1912 to Sevathapriyan & Theivanai in Palayampatti Village - Virudhunagar District (Formerly Madurai District). He is the 5th of six siblings with 2 elder brothers (Kulandaivel & Sankaralingam), 2 elder sisters (Aavudaiammal & Sivanammal) and one younger brother (Ramasamy)
His parents were agriculturists with the land dependent on rain water. The family migrated to Thanjavur when Bethannan was four due to famine, leaving out the dry lands. The family was a part of a mass migration from the villages of Palayampatti & Kalloorani, who mostly are relatives to each other. They shared a close family bonding and helped each other in their pursuit of survival & prosperity at their new home Thanjavur. The majority moved to keelavassal area, where most of their descendants still live.
Education
Due to family circumstances, with his father passing away, Bethannan could study only up until 8th standard.
Working at a young age
Leaving his mother & siblings, Betnannan moved to Madurai at the age of 12 and worked under Thiru. Guru (a prominent trading family in Madurai at the time. Thiru. Bhaskar who is from that family, is a well known doctor in Madurai), in their Grocery Warehouse. His tenure under Thiru. Guru helped Bethannan in becoming a successful businessman later in his life.
Back to Thanjavur & Marriage, Family
After few years in Madurai, Bethannan returned to his family at Thanjavur and tried out small businesses. He married Thillaiammal in a Suyamariyadhai Thirumanam as he was influenced by Thanthai principles & the Justice Party. He had nine children( Manoranjitham (died at young age), Noname Male (died at birth), Sivabakkiyam, Chelladurai, Chandra, Thamilarasi, Gunasekarapandian, Prema, Santhadevi)
Business Ventures
Bethannan established Vensangu in the year 1936, which manufactured seeyakkai (Soapnut) powder. He was supported by his mother & wife who supported a lot in the formative years of his business ventures. His acquaintances with Periyar led to him receiving financial support from Periyar during the initial stages of Vensangu and led to his growth.
Vensangu brand grew and became one of the top brands (for Seeyakkai Powder) at the time in some parts of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. It manufactured Seeyakkai, Arappu and Illuppai powders, with exports to Penang (Malaya) and Singapore to the Tamil diaspora, leading to his rapid growth in business and wealth. He learned and used modern machinery to improve production in a short span.
He started selling his products in bicycles, tricycles, bullock carts initially and later the firm owned multiple vans and lorries for delivery. Later Bethannan started incense sticks (oodhupathhi) manufacturing & semiya (Vermicilli)which did good business in Kaveri delta districts.
As he found opportunities, he started rice & flour mills in Keelavassal and his firm made good revenue. He had manual packaging centres at Old Mariammankoil Road, Dabeerkulam Road, Poomal Ravuthan Koil Road, Sunnampukara Theru, ( all in keelavaasal area) which provided job opportunities to women residing in those areas and became mutually beneficial.
As he progressed in his business, Bethannan did not forget his family's agricultural roots and he invested on agricultural lands in Kattur, Naikankottai, Varavukkottai, Vilar, and was successful in farming as well. Vensangu firm also ran a successful cargo and passenger transport as it owned a fleet of 17 lorries and 2 buses (No. 6 route Medical College to Karanthai and Thanjavur to Kaliyaperumal Kovil (Ariyalur)). Bethannan also invested in lot of rental properties in keelavassal area and earned rental income. The family also let some of the houses to needy near/dear ones to stay with minimal rent or no rent. As Bethannan expanded his business ventures, his wife Thirumathi. Thillaiammal ran a dairy farm with more than 50 cows/buffaloes in the backyard of their home at Old Mariamman Koil Road, Eastgate.
Politics & Roles
Being from a socially backward community that faced social equality issues, Bethannan was deeply rooted to the principles of the Justice party & the Dravidian Movement and a follower of Periyar, but was accommodative to believers. His initial days of foraying into agriculture in delta district faced hurdles, but he overcame them through his resoluteness and the support received from Dravidian Movement.
Though Bethannan was a follower of Thanthai Periyar, he became closely associated with Perarignar Anna and became part of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, when it parted ways from Dravidar Kazhagam. Bethannan was one of the initial and influential persons in DMK's growth at Thanjavur . He was the first District Secretary of DMK for Thanjavur District. He also held the town secretary post of DMK party later.
He was one of the first candidates when DMK joined electoral politics after being a social movement. He contested in 1957 elections for the Thanjavur Assembly constituency and secured 8858 (20.85%) of votes. Though he did not win, he was part of the small milestones in DMK's ascendancy in Tamil Nadu's political history. He played an important role in Kalaignar winning the 1962 Thanjavur assembly election. He became very active in politics along with business and participated in local body (Municipal) elections and could not win initially as DMK was still a young political party trying to make a mark of acceptance. He became a Municipal Councillor (Thanjavur Municipality) in the year 1964.
He expanded his political influence and had close contacts with Thiru. Kalaignar, Thiru. NV Natarasan, Thiru. Navalar Nedunchezhian, Thiru. AVP Aasaithambi, Thiru. Anbil Tharmalingam, Thiru. Mannai Narayanasamy, Thiru. KA Mathialagan, Thiru. Perasiriyar Anbazhagan, Thiru. Sadiq Basha, Thiru. K. Rasaram, Thiru. Madurai Muthu, Thiru. C.P. Sitrarasu who were some of the founding / initial members of DMK. He also became associated with Thiru. M.G. Ramachandran who had great respect for Bethannan. MGR visited Bethannan's Vensangu office for a reception hosted to celebrate the 100th day of the movie, Nadodi Mannan. He had close acquaintances with Thiru. Nanjil. K. Manoharan (one of DMK's leaders and a former Minister. Nanjilar had great respect for Bethannan as he attended his Birthday function in 1984 uninvited, by taking a detour from a bi-election campaign). He also had good contacts with Thiru. S.S. Rajendran (First DMK MLA from Cine field), Thiru. S.A. Asokan (Cine Actor), Thirukural Munuswamy, S.P Adhithanar, Silamboli Sellapan and Ma Po Sivagnanam.
Municipal Chairman - Achievements & Other roles
DMK councillors became a majority group for the first time in 1969 Thanjavur local body elections and Bethannan was elected as the Municipal Chairman of Thanjavur Municipality.
Thanjavur being an agriculture based town had little income source for the Thanjavur Municipality. In order to source income for the Municipality, he was instrumental in building a lot of Municipality owned small to medium shops which were rented/leased and brought good revenue to the coffers.
Bethannan worked towards the completion of Kollidam Drinking Water project for the residents of Thanjavur and surrounding areas, for which he worked in tandem with the then congress MLA and one of the great philanthropists A.Y.S. Parisutham. This facility still remains the major drinking water source for Thanjavur.
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He persuaded the Tamil Nadu State Government and TNEB to provide subsidised electricity to Thanjavur Municipality, which in turn provided electricity to Thanjavur town with some margin, that became an income source to the Municipality. (Municipality controlled electricity to Thanjavur town from early 70s to 2000's, then it got taken over by TNEB). ** The electricity charges were lower than other parts of Tamil Nadu until the early/mid eighties. He also ensured the Electricity Board staff under municipality provided with houses under the housing scheme. Thanjavur Thiruvalluvar Theatre is owned and got built by Municipality during his tenor and brought revenue to the Municipal Coffers.
Most of the Kamaraj Market shops till early 70's had thatch roofing and got burned due to a major fire accident. Bethannan got the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar to visit the site and after the CM viewing/hearing the shop owners/renters issues, the Tamil Nadu Government provided funds to Thanjavur Municipality to rebuild the market.
During his tenure, Thanjavur Municipality had surplus funds and was able to provide loans to another Municipality (Rs. Two Lakhs. Which used to be a considerable amount in those times) ** To be confirmed
He often took cycle trips in Thanjavur with respective ward councillors in their area to understand the issues faced by the residents. He followed proper procedures in awarding municipal contracts and gave a clean governance. Municipal schools were taken care and encouraged kids from near by areas to join and improved the literacy rate in the town.
He served as the President of Karanthai Thamizh Sangam. He served as the secretary of Social Welfare Service League School (Ottakaratheru).
He served as the President of the Nicholson Co-Operative Bank
Bethannan did not use his Public office for his business or personal benefits. He never encouraged his close family members from getting benefits or government jobs, through his influence. Most of his fortune was made from early 1930s until late 60s, before he became the Municipal Chairman.
Through his influence, he recommended deserving students from backward communities for Medical College seats through Government Quota. He has helped lot of people in thanjavur district in securing government jobs.
He is one of the administrators in the installation of the statue of King Raja Raja Cholan in its present location.
Bethannan handed over the Aimpon (Five Metals) Statue that was found in the backyard of his house to the Tamil Nadu Government, which is still with the Art Gallery Department. The piece of land (1400 Sq Feet), where the statue was found got donated by his family after his death, which is part of the present Ujjaini Kali Temple at Keelavassal, Thanjavur..
The Thanjavur Municipal Council honoured him by naming the open air auditorium that is located between Thanjai Peruvudayar Koil and the Sivagangai Poonga as Bethannan Kalaiarangam.
Death
Bethannan died in the year 1978 and the 8th and current Tamil Nadu Chief Minister - M.K. Stalin visited his home and paid his last respects. DMK chief Kalaignar & Secretary Persariyar Anbazhagan paid their respects and unveiled Bethannan's photo in Karanthai Thamizh Sangam.
Bethannan's wife Thirumathi. Thillaiammal expired a few months before he died and minister from the Tamil Nadu Government, Thiru. V.R. Nedunchezhian and Mr. K. Rasaram visited Bethannan and offered their condolences.

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