Congress MP businessman Vasanthakumar dies at 70 due to Covid

The founder of one of Tamil Nadu's oldest and biggest appliances retail chains had been admitted to hospital after developing symptoms

Congress leader and Kaniyakumari district MP and businessman Vasanthakumar passed away today. He had tested positive for coronavirus a few days back.

The 70-year-old businessman was the founder of one of Tamil Nadu’s oldest and biggest appliances retail chains, Vasanth and Co. 

He was admitted to hospital on August 10 after developing Covid-19 symptoms. His niece is BJP leader and Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

A two-time MLA, Vasanthakumar was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Nanguneri in 2006, and thereafter in 2016. 

However, he resigned from his seat after successfully contesting from Kanyakumari parliamentary constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha Election. 

He defeated the sitting MP and then Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan by a huge margin.  

He started Vasanth & Co, a home appliances and electronic goods chain in 1978. During the past few decades, Vasanth and Co grew to become a household name in the state, with about 90 showrooms across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.