Nachimuthu Mahalingam popularly known as Pollachi N Mahalingam, the doyen of industry in the region and Chairman of the city-based Sakthi Group of companies, passed away at Chennai on Thursday. The end came during the Gandhi Vallalar Vizha, which he has been organizing for the past 40 years. Mahalingam, 91, is survived by his wife Mariammal, three sons (Manickam, Balasubramanian and Srinivasan) and a daughter (Karunambal Vanavarayar).
A freedom fighter and Gandhian, Mahalingam breathed his last on stage at around 6pm during a programme organized to celebrate Gandhi Jayanthi.