V. R. Muthu

V. R. Muthu, 72, passed away peacefully on March 4, 2026, leaving behind a legacy that blended family warmth with the steady rhythm of the sesame‑oil industry he helped shape. Born on January 1, 1954, in a small town near Coimbatore, he grew up watching his father, V. V. V. Rajendran, grind the first batches of oil in their modest kitchen. When he took the helm of Idhayam in 1987, he didn’t just inherit a brand—he carried forward a story of perseverance, turning a humble family venture into a trusted name across India. His gentle smile and steady hand were as familiar in the boardroom as they were at the dinner table, where he would often recount the early days of “just a sack of seeds and a dream.” Family was the heart of Muthu’s world. He adored his wife, Lakshmi, whose laughter he said “kept the oil from ever going stale,” and their two children, Arjun and Meera, who he teased relentlessly about their “over‑cooked” rice. He never missed a school play, a cricket match, or a birthday cake—often arriving late but leaving a trail of sweets and a pocketful of stories. Friends recall how he would sit on the balcony of his home, sipping tea while listening to his grandchildren’s animated tales, his eyes twinkling with the same curiosity that once led him to experiment with new oil blends. “He taught us that success isn’t measured by profit alone, but by the love you pour into every endeavor,” his daughter Meera fondly remembers. Beyond the family ledger, Muthu found joy in the simple things: a Sunday morning walk along the beach, the scent of fresh coconut oil on his skin, and the old Tamil songs that played on the radio while he tended his garden. He was an avid collector of vintage gramophone records, often playing classics while cooking his signature coconut‑sesame stew, a dish that became a