C Valliappa: A Chettiar who made Bengaluru home and history

A panel discussion on “From Cotton to Code: The Art of Business Reinvention” moderated by Raghuvir Srinivasan, Editor of The Hindu Businessline, offered powerful insights into the remarkable journey of C Valliappa, woven with anecdotes, humour, and reflections.

Srinivasan said the book stands apart as a rare chronicle of the Chettiar business tradition, lauding its graceful portrayal of Valliappa’s values—especially the conviction that “business and dharma go together,” a sentiment that echoed deeply through the audience.

Valliappa reflected on his beginnings in Bengaluru from 1967. “My father always said, whatever you do, do it the best.” That maxim fuelled his transitions from textiles to technology, technical education, and real estate.

The biography by Bloomsbury merges history, unique culture of Chettiar community, history of India with C Valliappa’s story of reinvention.

The Sona Towers Legacy

Recounting the foundation of Sona Towers, Valliappa said, “in mid 1980s Texas Instruments came because I had scientific maps of wind velocity on my rooftop to host the satellite dish. Sona Towers hosted India’s first remote satellite-based software development for TI.”

“VSNL, D-DOT and Titan followed soon, making Sona Towers a pioneering hub where software, telecom, and the consumer story took off—marking the birth of India’s IT revolution,” Chettiar industrialist’s elder son Chocko Valliappa added.

Former Titan MD Bhaskar Bhat shared: “Sona Towers was the fortuitous building where Titan started. It was more than real estate—it reflected world-class aesthetics. When we moved out, we lost something intangible.”

He credited Valliappa for agreeing to an innovative rent model “linked to our dividends” adding that his most reasonable negotiating style changed his impression from landlord to thoughtful businessman and that built trust.

Bhat also reflected on Titan’s evolution: “We were once just a watchmaker. Today, 80% of revenue comes from jewellery. That transformation came from a mindset of reinvention—something we imbibed while at Sona.”

For Chitra Narayanan, author of the book it was the discovery of a man who reinvented not just businesses but also ideas. His story represents a rare quality of blending ethics with enterprise.

Valliappa recounted how even during failure, relationships endured and trust with bankers grew. Emphasising ethics often he exhorted his industry colleagues to never default on loan repayments so that your bank should chase you with a cheque, not the other way around.

T. R. Parasuraman, former Executive Adviser, Toyota Industries Engine said, “Mr Valliappa belongs to a rare breed of industrialists whose words are empowering, bonds everlasting and vision gets bolder with every passing day.”

Reflecting on his 36-year-long friendship with Mr Valliappa, Dr V Veerappan, a key trustee of Nagarathar (Chettiars) Sangam Trust “He is not just a business leader. He is Collaboration, Courage, Commitment, Character—and most of all, Change. He changes, adapts, and always uplifts those around him.”

Dr Veerappan recalled with fondness how as a young Wipro executive Sona Towers became a time-saver and a landmark in his career, housing clients like ABB, Texas Instruments and Titan—all under one welcoming roof.

Some touching memories came flooding back as a few media professionals reminisced about their visits to Sona Towers—eager to catch a glimpse of India’s IT revolution taking shape inside the offices of Texas Instruments.

Sona educational institutions--Sona College of Technology and Thiagarajar Polytechnic College--in Salem played a significant role in building engineering talent by blending academic excellence with industry relevance, with innovative research supporting national projects such as ISRO’s Chandrayaan-3 mission.

Younger son Thyagu Valliappa recalled how the mentoring he received from his forebears enriched him far more deeply than any classroom education. He expressed his commitment to carrying forward the Sona legacy with a deep sense of purpose, envisioning a bright future in real estate and holistic healthcare—especially through naturopathy and yoga with the upcoming Sona Ayush.

Mekhala Moorthy, Associate Publisher, Bloomsbury India said ‘The Sona Story’ is not just a biography. But a tale of resilience and purpose, a window into the transformation of India—from industrial legacy to tech leadership. A story of an extraordinary human who moves forward whatever he touches: business, philanthropy, opportunities.

The book is on Amazon: https://lnkd.in/gAn5NKU9