Chennai, May 23 : Well-known industrialist and owner of Thiagaraja mills, Karumuttu T. Kannan passed away at his residence in Madurai on Tuesday. He was 70. Kannan was associated with several industrial bodies of South India, including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Southern Indian Mills association. He was also the 'Thakkar' of the famous Madurai Sri Meenakshi Sundareswar temple. Kannan was the President of Thiagarajar Colleges and a member of the state planning commission and was involved in the activities of Anna University. He was presented with the Perunthalivar Kamarajar award instituted by the Tamil Nadu government for promoting education and social service. The state government had appointed him as a member of the High-Level Advisory committee of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department in 2022. He leaves behind his wife Uma Kannan and children Visalakshi, Radha, and Hari Thiagarajan. Family sources told IANS that the last rites will be performed on Wednesday. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company in a condolence message said: "I'm deeply saddened by this loss. To me he was more than a trusted colleague. He was a dear and loyal friend, who was a deep thinker and always there with his wise counsel. He helped steer us through difficult times to now becoming an international player." "Kannan had a rare prescience and sharp business acumen, but above all he was a man with tremendous social conscience who gave so much to society. Thiagarajar college is a testament to that as is his invaluable contribution to the Meenakshi Temple. He bore his responsibilities with grace, dignity, and a sense of purpose," he added. /IANS casino minimum deposit