Sir Alagappa Chettiar (6 April 1909 – 5 April 1957) was an Indian businessman and philanthropist. He received the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award of India in 1956.^[2]

Chettiar was born in Kottaiyur in the Sivaganga District of Tamil Nadu to Kumaraswamy Valayapalayam Aiyah Lakshmana Ramanathan Chettiar and Umayal Achi. He attended Presidency College at Chennai, where he befriended Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a teacher who later became President of India. In 1930, at the age of 21, he was the first person from the Nattukottai Nagarathar community to earn an M.A. degree in English Language and Literature.

After graduation, he began legal studies in England. He qualified for the Bar at Middle Temple, London, in 1933^[1] and became a 'Bar-at-Law' in Chettinad, India. During that time he also earned a pilot certificate at Croydon, London, and became the first Indian trainee in the Standard Chartered Bank, London.

Chettiar's activities as a business entrepreneur were recognized by the British Government when he was knighted in the 1946 New Year Honours at the age of 37.^[3] He renounced the title of knighthood when India attained independence. On 26 January 1956, the President of India conferred the distinction of Padma Bhushan onto him.

Chettiar launched his career in textiles. In 1937 he started Cochin Textiles, later Alagappa Textiles at Alagappa Nagar near Thrissur in Kerala. The township for Cochin textile staff was named "Alagappa Nagar" in his memory. He also invested in rubber plantations, tin mines, textile mills, insurance companies, hotels, theatres, a stock exchange and a private airline. ^{[citation needed]}

Chettiar believed that education was essential to helping people become productive and humane.^[4] In 1943 he donated 100,000 rupees for the establishment and development of the Tamil Department of Travancore University.^[4]

In 1947, at the Annie Besant centenary celebrations, he responded to the call for industrialists to help educate India by offering to start an Arts College in Karaikudi. This college, Alagappa Arts College, opened three days later at Gandhi Maleghai. His donations led to the establishment of a number of educational institutions, which formed the basis for the foundation of the Alagappa University in 1985 by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

He encouraged Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to locate one of the Government's National Research Institutes on the Alagappa campus. At the inauguration of the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) on 14 January 1953, then-Vice President of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan stated:

The magnificent gift of 300 acres of land and fifteen lakhs of rupees by Alagappa Chettiar helped the Government of India to select Karaikudi as the seat of Electro Chemical Research Institute. Being a businessman himself, Dr. Alagappa Chettiar is aware of the industrial possibilities of our country and the need for scientific, technical and technological education. In his lifetime he has built a monument for himself and you have only to look around.

Alagappa Chettiar founded the "A.C. College of Technology" (named after him) at Guindy, which offers specialized Engineering & Technology courses including Chemical Engineering, Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals, Textile Engineering, Leather Technology, Industrial Biotechnology, Ceramic Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Food Technology, etc., and is currently under the governance of Anna University,. He donated his residence in Kottaiyur to start a women's college.

His other foundations and charitable donations included:

• Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology, (Now known as Alagappa College of Technology Campus - Anna University, Chennai)
• Alagappa Chettiar Government College of Engineering & Technology (ACCET) at Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (Now an autonomous government institution)
• Alagappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa Arts College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa College of Polytechnic, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa Physical Education College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa Primary School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa Montessori School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• Alagappa Preparatory School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him)
• Alagappa Matriculation School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him)
• Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School at his birthplace, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
• A ladies' hostel at Vepery, Chennai
• A gift for the development of the township infrastructure of Kottaiyur
• A gift for the Meenakshi club at Kandanur, Tamil Nadu
• A donation for the H.M.I.S Fund
• Foundation of an engineering college at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu
• Foundation of a college of technology at Madras University, subsequently named Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology, Guindy, Chennai
• A donation to establish higher education in Malaysia
• A donation to establish the South Indian Educational Society at New Delhi in 1948
• A donation to the Lady Doak College at Madurai
• A donation for constructing "Alagappa Mandapam" at Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya in 1946 – the Foundation Stone was laid by M.K.Gandhi
• A donation for publishing Tamil Kalangiyam
• A donation to the Cochin Cyclone Relief fund
• A donation for geological research by the Travancore government
• A donation for establishing a maternity hospital and childcare centre in Cochin
• A donation for indigenous medicine research by Ernakulam Maharaja College
• A donation to fund students from Cochin to study abroad
• Funding the morning food scheme for Cochin children
• Establishing the South Indian chamber of commerce in Cochin

Chettiar was treated for cancer in 1955, and after a brief recovery, his health worsened and he died on 5 April 1957 at his residence in Vepery, Madras (now Chennai).^[1]

• http://www.alagappa.org/ Official Website, Alagappa Group of Educational Institutions
• http://www.alagappaalumni.com/ Official Website, Alagappa Global Alumni Association