S. Rajandram

Rajandram was born on 30 November 1903.[3] He was the son of Sinnatamby, an employee of the Medical Department in Kuala Lumpur, Malaya.[3] He had his early education in Malaya before his family moved to Ceylon.[3] He was then educated at the Jaffna Hindu College.[3]

Rajandram married Chellammah, daughter of Sittampalam from Kokkuvil.[3] They had two sons (Maharaja and Rajamahendran) and four daughters (Rajalakshmi, Mahalakshmi, Jeyalakshmi and Vijayalakshmi).[3]

After finishing education Rajandram and his school friend S. Mahadevan joined Beer and Co. as guarantee brokers.[3] Rajandram was appointed assistant general manager of the company after it was taken over by Dodge and Seymour in 1935.[3] He became general manager three years later.[3]

After the company ceased trading in Ceylon Rajandram and Mahadavan established several businesses to take over its client base: Mahadavans Limited, Rajandram Limited, Stirling Products and Maharaja Distribution.[3] The Maharaja building in Banshall Street, Colombo was completed in 1953.[3] After Mahadavan died in December 1957 Rajandram took over the management of their three companies (Mahadavans Limited, Rajandram Limited and Maharaja Distributors Limiedt).[3]

The Ceylonese government restricted imports into the country in 1959. Rajandram established several factories to fill the vacuum caused by the restriction: Parker Quick Ink, Ponds Cosmetic, Chemway and S. Lon PVC).[3] These companies were the forerunners of the modern Maharaja Organisation.[3]

Rajandram was a founder member of the Hindu Educational Society and a trustee of the Maharaja Trust.[3] He died on 12 September 1965.[4] After his death, his sons R. Rajamahendran and Rajandram Maharaja took over the business leadership and administration in 1966.[5][6]