Dr. Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar was born on 5th August 1905, son of Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai  Chettiar  a distinguished member of the Nattukkottai Nagarathar community. He studied mostly in Madras, graduating from the Presidency College in 1922. He  then  went  to Burma on his family's   business,   acquiring expertise  in banking.

He became a member of Madras Legislative Council, representing the South Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with which he was associated for 50 years, and was elected its President in 1941. He was appointed  member of the Provincial Banking Enquiry Commission in 1929 and of the Madras Provincial Franchise Enquiry Committee (1931). In 1929, he became a member of the Corporation of Madras and was elected Mayor in 1933 and 1934. In 1943 he was elected president of the Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He was associated with the Imperial Bank of India (now the State Bank of India) and the  Indian  Bank.

Interest in education was part of the family heritage. He was associated with his father in making Sri Minakshi College, Chidambaram the nucleus of a university. While pursuing his political career as Chief Whip and Legislative Assembly Chairman of the Justice Party, he retained his interest in  education.   In  1936  he was appointed Minister-in-charge of J:ducation, Public Health and Excise, and was also the Pro-Chancellor of  Madras University for over a year. He remained on the Board of  Management of the  Pachaiyappa's  Charities  for  33 years. He was also on the Syndicate of  the Madras University and the Board of Management of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, for some years.

In 1948 he became Pro-Chancellor of Annamalai University which expanded to include the faculties of Education, Fine Arts, Culture, Law and Medicine. Two UGC Centres of Advanced Study in Marine Biology and Linguistics came into being. The Engineering and Technology Department developed into a Post-Graduate Centre. The Muthiah Polytechnic, Annamalainagar, and the Annamalai Polytechnic, Chettinad,  were  established.

He was interested in the study of Tami! language and literature, Tamil music and culture. His services to the cause of Tamil earned him  the  title  of  'Tamil lsai  Kavalar'.

He earned the reputation of being a sensitive Parliamentarian, impartial  and  balanced,  as a leader of the opposition in 1939 and when he held charge of Local Administration and Hindu Religious Endowments. He was knighted in 1941. In 1946 he was elected member of the Constituent  Assembly  at New  Delhi.

In the world of business he was an important figure, holding such positions as Chairman  of Chettinad  Cement Corporation Ltd., Madras, Madura  Coats  Ltd.,  Consolidated  Coffee  Ltd., Coorg,  and  Coonoor  Tea  Estate, Coonoor, among others.

He passed away on 12th May, 1984 in Madras, leaving an impressive record of interests  and  achievements.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India