Key Highlights
- His life philosophy, encapsulated in the quote “…Too much money becomes a burden,” reflects a deep-seated belief in egalitarianism and social responsibility. This article delves into Thyagarajan's journey, his business acumen, philanthropic endeavors, and frugal lifestyle, drawing on verified accounts from his career spanning over five decades. Early Life and Entry into BusinessBorn in the late 1930s in Tamil Nadu, India, R.
- Thyagarajan grew up in modest circumstances, influenced by socialist ideals that would shape his worldview.
- He pursued a career in insurance initially, working for established firms before venturing into entrepreneurship at the age of 37. In 1974, alongside AVS Raja and T.
- Jayaraman, he founded the Shriram Group in Chennai with a singular mission: to provide financial services to low-income groups who were often overlooked by traditional banks.
- Starting with chit funds and truck financing, the group targeted truck drivers, small business owners, and rural borrowers without formal credit histories. Thyagarajan's analytical approach, rooted in his background in statistics and economics, proved instrumental.
