TIRUCHY: The founder of Tiruchy Sarathas Manavala Pillai (91), one of the largest textile showrooms in India passed away on Tuesday after a brief age-related illness.

Manavala Pillai, a native of Omandur near Manachanallur in Tiruchy was born in 1933. After his schooling, Manavala Pillai went to Sri Lanka and started a small textile shop in Colombo.

After successfully running the textile shop in Sri Lanka, he returned to India in 1967, and in 1968 he started the Tiruchy Sarathas textile at Mount Road in Chennai.

Subsequently, he founded a textile showroom at NSB

Road in Tiruchy in 1969, and thereby, the showroom gradually grew and presently, it is considered to be one of India’s largest textile showrooms popular for discount sales.

Manavala Pillai is also a noted philanthropist and a major donor for more than 100 Saivite temples in and around Tiruchy district.

The final rites are scheduled for Wednesday at 5 pm.

Manavala Pillai is survived by wife Sudha, sons Roshan and Sarath, and daughter Priyadharshini.