Prof. K. R. Sundararajan was a great Professor of Mathematics and a renowned pioneer of higher education in the country. His life's mission was to provide young citizens with quality education, so that they imbibe the cardinal virtues of Faith, Fidelity and Fortitude.

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He founded the Indian Institute of Engineering Technology (IIET) in the late 1940s in order to provide quality Engineering education to hundreds who could not afford to go to mainstream Engineering Colleges. He founded the Meenakshi College for Women in 1975, and his dreams of creating similar temples of learning in other fields like Engineering are becoming reality one by one.

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A powerful member of the Senate and Syndicate of the University of Madras for long terms, Prof. KRS was respected even by the Vice-chancellors for his relentless fight for justice and his forthright ways.

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The Lions Clubs International found in him a committed patron who willingly gave off his time, effort and money to serve the underprivileged. Even during his lifetime he was acknowledged as "God’s gift to Lionism".

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He was closely associated with the powers that be, and yet he desisted from promoting himself or seeking favours and honours. He shunned public acknowledgement of his greatness and chose to remain an unsung and unhonoured "Karmayogi" who had only friends and no foes.

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Sri KRS was not overtly religious or ritualistic but had in him a deep and abiding spirituality. This enabled him to follow in the footsteps of his forefathers. His preceptor, His Holiness Sri Abhinava Vidyatheertha Mahaswamigal of Sringeri recognized his qualities and lauded him as a “true sannyasin”.