The Popular Hindustan Publications was responsible for bringing out the Coimbatore and Nilgiris Directory : 1957 - 1958. It was edited by R.Ramalingam B.A. This directory was a reference book with historical, educational, agricultural, industrial, commercial and " Who is Who " information about Coimbatore and Nilgiris Districts. It was priced at Rs.3.50 and postage charges were extra. R.Ramalingam was born as the son Vurakkarai Ramanathan Chettiar and Rajalakshmi Ammal during the first quarter of the twentieth century. His mother hailed from the land owning aristocratic Virugalpatti family. He was the energy behind the venture ' Business Promoters ' and was well known for his activities connected with public relations and advertising. Ramalingam was among the few trade mark registration agents in Madras State. He lived in Coimbatore along with his wife Saroja and son Shivakumar.
The Popular Hindustan Publications was responsible for bringing out the Coimbatore and Nilgiris Directory : 1957 - 1958. It was edited by R.Ramalingam B.A. This directory was a reference book with historical, educational, agricultural, industrial, commercial and " Who is Who " information about Coimbatore and Nilgiris Districts. It was priced at Rs.3.50 and postage charges were extra. R.Ramalingam was born as the son Vurakkarai Ramanathan Chettiar and Rajalakshmi Ammal during the first quarter of the twentieth century. His mother hailed from the land owning aristocratic Virugalpatti family. He was the energy behind the venture ' Business Promoters ' and was well known for his activities connected with public relations and advertising. Ramalingam was among the few trade mark registration agents in Madras State. He lived in Coimbatore along with his wife Saroja and son Shivakumar.
The directory had been printed at Saraswathi Printers which was located on 54, Raja Street, Coimbatore. The Block Makers were Indra Process Studio ( Coimbatore ) and Sarangan & Co, Shevapet ( Salem ). The work was really futuristic and the compilation of facts offer the reader a wonderful peep into the past. Ramalingam must have taken quite sometime to prepare this voluminous piece. The contents include the physical features of the Coimbatore & Nilgiris Districts, history, places of touring interest, transport facilities and places of stay, general information about public offices, education and publicity ( this included details about news papers & periodicals too ), hospitals & doctors, advocates & chartered accountants, agriculture & animal husbandry, classified list of traders, details about plantations & industry, Clubs & Associations, " Who is Who " , Index to advertisers and of course - errata. A number of maps and photos have been added generously.
The advertisements throw a lot of light on the kind of business enterprises that had existed those days. The Pioneer Fire & General Insurance Company Limited with A.L.Govindarajulu at its helm is among the advertisers. Original Viswanatha Iyer which was famous for its jalebis , S.Kothandarama Chettiar ( Jeweller ), Barath Bhavanam ( Boarding & Lodging ), Nathan's College ( a tutorial ), Vijayalakshmi Hall ( textiles ), Rama & Co ( hardwares ), Selva Bala Company ( Chit Funds ), Vanguard Insurance Company, G.M.Vyas & Co ( Waste Cotton Merchants ), Swami & Co ( Tile Merchants ), Jupiter & Co (the textile bobbin people ), Malayandi Pharmacy are among the strip advertisers in this publication.
We get to learn that 85 taxis were licensed throughout the district and that city had 107 autorickshaws. 4 motor ricks were also available. 143 bus routes are listed and the shortest route was 9 miles ( Pollachi to Negamam ) while the longest route was 135 miles ( Mettupalayam to Trichy ). A list of post offices are also found in this detailed publication.Educational institutions, institutes , list of doctors of all kinds - Homeopathy, Siddha, Ayurveda ,Allopathy , type writing insitutes, tyre puncture shops, libraries hospitals, estates, schools, shops & establishments can be discovered. The names of banks, private bankers etc., can be found.
Aerated Water manufacturers are found in a big number. D.T.Sait Soda Factory, Super Crush, Asoka Soda Factory are listed in the same place as Spencer & Co. The huge number of banks include Coimbatore Bagyalakshmi Bank, Dravya Sahaya Nidhi, Melarcode Bank among many others. Private Bankers like Naraindas Gobindram, Kodoosingh Balusingh, N.K.P.Muthuswamy Chettiar , C.S.Arumugham Chettiar etc., join the crowd. Advertisements of Jaga Buttons, Subbiah Foundry, P.S.G Industrial Institute, Chandra Prabha Pictures, Surya Prabha Mills, A.M.S. Motor service, Gounder & Co , Gopal Camphor Works, Industrial Engineering Stores are part of the repertoire. The advertisement of the Coimbatore Pioneer Mills carries the outstanding opinion of Thomas. W. Simmons , the American Consul General in Madras. He states that , " The Pioneer Mills is one of the cleanest and best maintained textile mills I have visited. Its completeness of departments and the cleanliness in each department is commendable. It has been a pleasure as well as education to visit this plant. The management is to be commended. Those were times when companies were run through the Managing Agency system. We get to see the names of such agents in the advertisements.
Special notes on the Forest College, P.S.G. Industrial Institute, Textool Company, Madukkarai Cement Works, Keshavardhini Oil and the then proposed Viscose Project are mentioned in detail. Clubs and Associations are found in full attendance. Students Literary Association under Kovaikizhar C.M.Ramchandran Chettiar, S.P.C.A, India Red Cross Society Purandharadas Sangitha Sabha, Nanneri Kazhagam, Sri Guruguha GanaSabha, Third Class Passengers Association, Thiruvalluvar Sangham, West Coimbatore Civic and Welfare Association headed by P.A.Raju Chettiar, Telegraph Engineering Recreation Club, Shikarpuri Sindhi Bankers Association, Coimbatore District Writers Association, Coimbatore District Homeopathic Association, Hamilton Club, Federation of College Social Service Leagues, Local Municipal Bill Collectors Association, City Club, Kerala Club, Coimbatore District Bankers Association with T. R.S. Ramanatha Iyer as its President and both S.Ramaswamy & S.Padmanabhan ( Coimbatore Baghyalakshmi Bank ) as Secretaries can be discovered.
The " Who is Who " consists of a huge list of people - K.S.Ardhanarishwara Iyer, T.P.Attimuthu Gowder, T.S.Avinashilingam Chettiar, S.Bheemiah Chetty, K.V.Bhagath, A.G.Damodaraswamy Naidu, G.V.Rao, R.Ehirajulu of Rajalakshmi Mills, P.S.Chinnadurai, D.Govindarajulu Naidu, R.K.Kandaswamy, R.Gopalakrishna Iyer, P.A.R.Krishnan, P.A.R.Viswanathan, G.N.Venkatapathy, V.P.Kandaswami, R.N.Kalyanasundara Gounder, B.Kanniah Prasad, V.C.P.Kittu, K.Kulandaivel, R.Kondaswamy Naidu, A.Muthia Chettiar, Dr.C.Nanjappa, S.Narasimhan, M.S.Nataraja Gounder, B.A.Padmaabha Iyer, V.C.Palaniswamy Gounder, K.R.Radhakrishnan, Dr. C.S.Ramaswamy Iyer , Dr.C.V.Ramraj, G.V.Ramaswamy Naidu, V.N.Ramaswamy ( Nava India ), V.Rangaswamy Naidu, G.Ramaswamy Naidu, Sachithananda Yogi, G.N.Sam, T.T.Rathnasabapathy Pillai, M.K.Samy , P.S.S.Somasundaram Chettiar, V.C.SubbiahGounder, T.V.Angappan, V.Devaraj, A.Ramalingam Chettiar, G.V.Doraiswamy Naidu, A.G.Sunderarajan, A.G.Varadarajan .Venkateswara Iyer among many others.
Coimbatore Sisters G.N.Hema, G.N.Geetha find an advertisement by C.A.Natarajan who happened to be the Director for Coimbatore Sisters who specialized in dance and music. The advertisement talks about their performances on television. Eastern Electrical Company is a full page advertiser. The advertisement of Chandra Prabha Pictures talks about the many super hits it proposes for the year 1958. The movies include Raja Desingh, Kumaradevan, Bhavani, Thief of Baghdad, Thangapadhumai, Pen Pavam Pollathathu, Nan Sollum Ragasiyam, Raja Narthagi, Kalyanikku Kalyanam, Magane Kel, Maadarsi, Maya Vinodha Paradesi, Kudumba Pen, Periakoil, Thedivandha Selvam and Narayanan & Co Production No 15.
R.Ramalingam and his team have done a good job and have been ahead of the times. Very few copies of this rare directory exist today. Coimbatore had been a forerunner by publishing this informative directory.