A. Y. S. Gnanam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
A. Y. S. Gnanam
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Gnanam in 2000
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| Born | 5 May 1922 |
| Died | January 3, 2007 (aged 84) Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore
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| Nationality | Sri Lankan |
| Occupation | Founder of St. Anthony's Group (Tokyo Cement Group, Sascon Knitting, St. Anthony’s Solar, Capital City Farms (Pvt) Limited and Rhino Roofing Products Limited) Founder of Ceylon Synthetic Textile Mills (Cyntex) Founder of Asian Cotton Mills Chairperson of Express Newspapers (Ceylon) (Pvt) Limited. Chairperson of the Textile Manufacturing Association |
| Spouse(s) | Amy Gnanam |
| Children | Rajaseelan Gnanam Arul Gnanam Jeyaseelan Gnanam |
| Awards | [Deshabandu]] (1986) Deshamanya (1994) Vishwa Prasadini (1996) |
Arulanandam Yesuvadiyan Samuel Gnanam, known to many as A. Y. S. Gnanam (born May 5, 1922 – died January 3, 2007), was a very successful Sri Lankan business tycoon. He started the famous St. Anthony's Group and many other businesses.
Gnanam began his journey by selling scrap metal on the street when he was very young. From these small beginnings, he built the St. Anthony's Group, which is now worth billions. His story shows how hard work and smart ideas can lead to great success.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps
Gnanam was born in a small village called Soukyapuram. This village was in the Tirunelveli District of Madras Presidency, which was part of British India (now Tamil Nadu, India). He grew up in a Christian family.
He went to a small school in Soukyapuram and was a good student. Since his school only went up to fourth grade, his mother sent him to a bigger school nearby. He stayed there for about a year before returning home because of living arrangements.
When he was nine years old, Gnanam moved to British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He joined his father and brother, who were working in a small town called Horana.
In the 1930s, he attended night school to learn English. At the same time, he worked with his brother in a shop in Kottawa. He used half of his monthly pay to pay for his studies.
Gnanam often helped his brother by taking goods to farmers markets in villages around Kottawa. He used a bullock cart and went three times a week. For each market trip, he earned two rupees. He cleverly used this money to buy fresh produce from local farms along the way. He would then sell these items at the market, making extra profit for himself. This showed his early talent for business.
Building an Empire
Gnanam's business journey began when he was very young, selling scrap iron on the road. After the Second World War, many British ships were left behind in Trincomalee. Gnanam saw this as a great chance. He started buying scrap metal from these ships and selling it to India.
He then opened his own hardware business, called St. Anthony's Hardware. Here, he continued to sell scrap iron. The British offered him good prices, and his business slowly grew. Soon, he began importing many other hardware products.
In the 1950s, Gnanam started trading well-known international brands like Grundig and Sanyo in Sri Lanka.
Later, Sir Cyril De Zoysa asked Gnanam to help manage a struggling company that made roofing materials, Sri Lanka Asbestos Products (now known as Rhino Roofing). Gnanam brought in new equipment from Europe to improve how things were made and to make the products better. He successfully turned the company into a thriving business.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the government wanted to encourage local industries and reduce imported goods. Gnanam saw this as another opportunity to start manufacturing in Sri Lanka. He invested in advanced machinery, including some from Germany, which was known for its excellent technology. He began making high-quality nuts, bolts, and hinges. Later, he expanded to produce PVC pipes and other fittings.
Around the same time, Gnanam noticed a big shortage of textiles in Sri Lanka. So, he partnered with Mitsui Company to create the Ceylon Synthetic Textile Mills, or Cyntex. They used top-quality machines from Switzerland to produce excellent fabrics. This was the first public company in Sri Lanka that worked with a Japanese company. Gnanam was also one of the first business owners to receive funding from the World Bank.
Gnanam also started Asian Cotton Mills. As the leader of the Textile Manufacturing Association, he worked hard to get the government to make positive changes for the local textile industry.
He also exported gems under a special plan called CRA (Convertible Rupee Account). This helped him earn foreign money, which he then used to import consumer goods. Sometimes, he didn't make much profit from selling gems, but he made more money from the goods he imported.
When markets became more open in the 1970s, he expanded into making clothes. He employed as many as 5,000 people to make and export sweaters to Western countries.
Gnanam's second largest public company investment was Tokyo Cement. He started it to expand the production of building materials, expecting a big increase in construction. Today, Tokyo Cement is still a very important part of Sri Lanka's building industry.
His Strong Character
In 1983, during a time of civil unrest, thugs robbed Gnanam’s house. They chased him out of his home. He was only wearing a sarong and a vest, which was his usual simple clothing. The thugs felt sorry for him and offered him trousers and a shirt. Gnanam told them:
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- "Not to worry. I came like this from India and used to go from house to house buying old newspapers in this same attire. I am prepared to go with the same dress to the refugee camp."
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This story shows how incredibly strong and resilient Gnanam was. He didn't give up, even when many of his businesses were badly affected during the difficult times in 1983. He stood firm, rebuilt everything, and started again.
Helping Others
Gnanam was a quiet helper of others, known as a philanthropist. He secretly supported schools, hospitals, orphanages, and people in need. He believed in giving back to the community.
Awards and Recognition
Gnanam received three important national awards for his contributions:
- Deshabandu in 1986
- Deshamanya in 1994
- Vishwa Prasadini in 1996
His Lasting Impact
Memorials
- The A.Y.S. Gnanam Village Heartbeat Empowerment Centre in Dambulla helps empower people in villages.
- AYS GNANAM ELDERS’ HOME provides a home for older people.
