New Delhi, Nov. 17 -- His friends and peers called Arunachalam Vellayan (72), former chairman of Murugappa group who passed away in Chennai on Monday, a man with a high level of business acumen and an ability to see the future.

Several achievements in his stellar career demonstrate this ability. Let us take one example.

In 2008, as chairman of Coromandel International, one of India's largest fertiliser companies, Vellayan took a bold decision to go retail.

He started company-owned shops under the name 'My Growmor' despite many warning him that it was a recipe for disaster, as no one had done it before.

But Vellayan was convinced that a direct connection with farmers is needed to build trust in the long term. He also surmised that it w...