“T. T. Vasu’s contribution to the TTK Group was significant but it hasn’t been recognised. He had a significant role to play in creation of Ponds, London Rubber Co during the time of family planning and TTK Maps, which was a German collaboration,” said S. Muthiah, historian and author of The Man Who Could Never Say ‘No’, whose subject is T. T. Vasu, last son of the famous industrialist T. T. Krishnamachari.

Mr. Muthiah said that the book is a frank appraisal of industrialist Vasu. “He started something, but he got bored soon and moved on. Despite all the problems, he slept well in the night,” he said.

Releasing the book, former Governor of West Bengal, Gopalkrishna Gandhi, said T.T. Vasu was someone who took tradition seriously, but pricked the sanctimony around tradition. “He did not take himself too seriously. He did not regard himself as lofty. He regarded tradition seriously, he was conservative about belonging,” said Mr. Gandhi.

Carnatic Singer T.M. Krishna, who fondly remembered his uncle, said that Vasu was a ‘superstar uncle’ who would always hold his own no matter who he was with. “He was a magnetic person. In a way, my learning music itself was due to him. At that time, the world of Carnatic music didn’t care about young musicians. But Vasu supported young musicians with no questions asked,” he said.

He added that the book ‘expresses a whole spectrum of his personality’.

N. Sankar, chairman, Sanmar Group, recollected how his father roped in T.T. Vasu to instal a Kamaraj statue in Delhi.

“He was a true people’s person,” he said.

T.T. Vasu’s sons Arun and Arvind shared their memories about the time they spent with their father.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Citis> Chennai / by Staff Reporter / December 14th, 2016