From herding cattle and working in fireworks factories as a child to becoming a Director of Engineering at Intel and now serving as BJP’s district president in Tenkasi – Ananthan Ayyasamy’s journey is as inspiring as it is unusual.
Known locally as ‘Tenkasi Ananthan’, he holds multiple patents including a crucial one for CXL link technology used in data center systems. After spending over two decades designing chips for Intel in the United States, Ananthan has returned to his roots in rural Tamil Nadu with a mission to transform his home district Tenkasi.
Reflecting on his motivation to enter politics, Ananthan describes growing up in poverty and witnessing caste conflict and violence firsthand. These experiences, he explains, fueled his determination to seek a better life through education, technology, and entrepreneurship. Now, his focus has shifted to serving the district and bringing hope to those still trapped in poverty.
His connection to politics runs deeper than his recent BJP role might suggest. His younger brother, A Manoharan, previously served as the AIADMK MLA from Vasudevanallur constituency. Ananthan himself displayed remarkable political acumen when he predicted his brother’s margin of defeat in the 2021 elections within 9 votes of the actual result.
Despite his success in America, Ananthan maintained strong ties with his village, regularly visiting and purchasing land there. While others laughed at him for buying village land while investing in Bangalore’s outskirts, he remained committed to giving back to his community.
Today, Ananthan divides his time between grassroots political work and ambitious development initiatives. His trust, Voice of Tenkasi, supports various social welfare activities, from sponsoring sports tournaments to helping students prepare for civil service examinations. He has also launched Startup Tenkasi, inspired by his mentor, Sridhar Vembu of Zoho, aiming to transform the district into a technology hub.
His vision for Tenkasi is comprehensive – from introducing electric trains connecting every panchayat to establishing agro-processing units for local crops like lemons and millets. Drawing from his semiconductor industry experience, he advocates for bringing chip manufacturing to Tamil Nadu, though he emphasizes starting with mature technologies rather than jumping directly to cutting-edge processes.
According to Ananthan, chips have become the new oil, and India cannot progress without developing its own chip design and manufacturing capabilities. He maintains that an economy cannot grow by solely producing lower-value products. Ananthan’s approach combines his technical expertise with political pragmatism. In meetings with students and locals, he emphasizes the importance of software skills while working to address immediate community needs like borewells and school facilities. His office-cum-home in Tenkasi serves as a hub for both political strategy and community service.
The BJP district president has pledged to prioritize Tenkasi’s interests, aiming for comprehensive development that benefits all residents. His goal is to see the district become both prosperous and peaceful. Ananthan’s choice to return to rural Tamil Nadu might seem surprising for someone who could have continued earning six-figure salaries in America. However, he sees it as fulfilling a long-held desire to transform the region that shaped him. He particularly remembers his academically brilliant classmates who couldn’t succeed due to their circumstances, expressing a deep-seated desire to help others overcome similar barriers.
(With inputs from Swarajya)
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