The Bicycle Legend from Chennai

Being a resident of Urur near Theosophical Society at Adyar my childhood memories are filled with our early morning errands to this sprawling green campus with my uncle to bring drinking water from Bharata Samaj Temple and my favorite shikari (ride) on those two carved elephants in the temple stairways, known for Banyan Tree and Head Quarters Hall it was also home to stalwarts like Annie Beasent and J.Krishnamurthy. Bicycles played a dominant role in this nearly 400 acres campus and if the Adyar estuary region came to be associated with this hallowed institution another part of Chennai called Ambattur containing few mango grooves also shot into prominence due to its connection with the legendary TI Cycles Ltd. The Indian bicycle industry came into reckoning with the advent of Hind Cycles Ltd in Bombay (1939), Hindustan Bicycle Corporation at Patna later the Sen Raleigh Group in Asonsol (1949) and others including the presently renowned North Indian based bicycle houses in 1950's. To the reputed historian S. Muthiah, after closing their business operations at Mouliem a port city in Lower Burma due to Second World War the Murugappa Group (founded earlier in 1898 by Dewan Bhadur A.M.Murugappa) and now consisted of three brothers began their business ventures in India. Soon under the able leadership of the eldest brother A.M.M.Murugappa (1902-1965) whose vision was to manufacture a product for the common men which could be sold in large numbers they established TI Cycles Ltd with tie up from the British giant Tube Investments in July 1949, the factory became operational in 1951. Till the years 1953-54 Hercules bicycles were manufactured with the name Hercules India and by 1956-57 the entire bicycle was being manufactured, it came out from the completely indigenous plant of TI Cycles. Such was their progress that Sir Ivan chief of Tube Investments (UK) urged them to produce Philips and BSA which was rolled out in 1959 and 1964 respectively. Moving on to details from their own sources we get to know their Avadi plant became operational in 1957 and they tied up with Wright Saddles and Diamond Chains in 1959. The one millionth bicycle was manufactured and they also started the production of TI Miller dynamos and lighting in 1960. The year 1975 marked their 25 years of service and with passage of time they began to expand. They were the first to come out with bicycle in each category be it the MTB, Geared Bike, Light Roadsters, Girls Bikes or Kids Bike from 1980-90's. After their Golden Jubilee celebrations in 1999, they came up with "BSA Go" and "BSA Zone" series of exclusive showrooms across the country from 2006 which became a shop for all bicycling and fitness requirements. In 2008 they started the "Track and Trail" outlets which offered international range of bicycles for the discerning cyclist and also introduced the India's first cycling cafe. In 2011 they launched the "Montra" with international standard carbon frame ingeniously manufactured for the first time in India. Having briefly gone through their six decades of glorious history and contribution to bicycling I conclude this rhetoric by dedicating it to our great city which has produced numerous legends, pioneers and doyens ... till next time. 

A.M.M.Murugappa Chettiyar (1902-1965), Pic:India Post