G. S. Pillay remembered in memorial service |12 April 2014

Family members, dignitaries and friends remembered and celebrated the life of G.S. Pillay last Sunday during a memorial service at the International Conference Centre.

In the presence of invitees including Designated Minister Vincent Meriton, Tourism and Culture Minister Alain St Ange led the tributes saying “Mr Pillay was a man from humble beginnings who managed to build educational institutions in India and helped many people in Seychelles through his distribution business.”

Indian high commissioner Thanglura Darlong said Mr Pillay was “an inspiration for all of us and he achieved things most people won’t be able to”, while Justice Durai Karunakaran described him as “self-made man with spotless reputation and a man of great values and principles and who loved, cared and shared with the needy”.

Roche Caïman district’s member of the National Assembly Jeovana Charles recounted how she nearly grew up in the G. S. Pillay shop at Mont Fleuri with Mr Pillay and wife Jothimani. She described him as “a legend in the business history of Seychelles”, and as “a man of deep faith”.

For Magistrate Brassel Adeline, Mr Pillay is a “registered trademark”, and Seychelles Breweries managing director Patricia Berthelot said she personally does not know Mr Pillay but has heard so many good things about him and values his long term (40-year) partnership with the brewery.

Airtel’s Navneet Singh said “at Airtel Mr Pillay is a brand” and is a “pioneer in distribution in Seychelles”.
Seychellois retailers Harold Kilindo and Wilven Elizabeth, who both worked for Mr Pillay before moving on to run their own businesses, thanked him for all he has done for them.

“If it was not for Mr Pillay I would not have had my own business today,” said Mr Kilindo and Mr Elizabeth said “he was a good listener and took time to listen people’s problems”.
One of his sons, Rajagopal Pillay, thanked everyone who helped his father to establish himself in Seychelles and to grow his business.

Born on January 2, 1930 in a small village called Chandrapadi in Tamil Nadu, India, Mr Pillay came to Seychelles in 1947 at the age of 17 and worked as a labourer for 15 years before starting his business in 1960. It was Mr T. M. K. Ramanathan Pillay who brought G. S Pillay to Seychelles.

Although he could not have a good education due to his family’s circumstances and financial constraints, Mr Pillay always thought of providing quality education to young people of the Nagappattinan district in India. He was the founder and chairman of E.G.S. Pillay group of educational institutions comprising engineering, arts and science, and pharmacy colleges.

He was affectionately called ‘Father of Education’ by the people of the Nagappattinan district and has been conferred an honorary doctorate degree and citation as ‘Chevalier’.
Chev. G. S Pillay died on January 23, 2014 in his native India, aged 84.