Remembering Atlas Ramachandran

The people of Kerala did not consider Atlas Ramachandran as just another businessman. Beyond that, he was seen as a person with a friendly and artistic heart. After producing the movie ‘Vaishali’, he was called Vaishali Ramachandran by his well-wishers. Afterward, when he began his own Jewelry shop and said the advertisement tagline in his unique voice, he came to be called fondly called Atlas Ramachandran. His jewelry shop’s tagline became so famous that every Malayalee might have said it at least once.

The distribution of one of Padmarajan’s finest movies ‘Innale’, was taken by Ramachandran’s company Chandrakantham Films. The storyline of the movie focused on a woman who forgets most part of her past life. In real life, everyone hoped that Atlas Ramachandran would return to his former glory in business by forgetting the betrayal and failures of the past. He was trying to make a comeback when tragedy struck.

MM Ramachandran, a native of Thrissur, began his career as a bank employee. He later went to Kuwait and took up a job at a bank. Before long, he turned his attention to the gold business. He opened six showrooms of Atlas Jewelry in Kuwait and his business was booming till Iraq’s annexation of Kuwait.

Following the Iraqi invasion, Ramachandran, who lost everything, left for Dubai. After so much struggle he succeeded in building up his gold business again. Years later, he was able to establish the branches of Atlas Jewelry in Dubai and in many other countries. He also opened showrooms in Kerala.

Meanwhile, he was able to open an efficient hospital in the Gulf. Simultaneously, he became active in the cultural scene and movie industry. This made him famous in Kerala. However, when he was at his peak, fate turned suddenly against him.

The conspiracies of those who stood with him and those from outside led to his business failure. In August 2015, he was jailed in the Gulf. He spent close to three years in prison in the case filed by some banks for not repaying the loan he took on time.

Even after being released from prison, Atlas Ramachandran, could not return to India, as there were liabilities worth crores to be repaid here.

His end came suddenly while he was trying to bring back the lost glory of Atlas Jewelry. The people of Kerala will surely never forget the NRI businessman and lover of art and cinema, Atlas Ramachandran.