Alagappa Alagappan (December 3, 1925 - October 24, 2014) was the founder of the

Hindu Temple Society of North America The Hindu Temple Society of North America is a nonprofit organization that manages the Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam temple in Flushing, Queens, in New York City. It is known as the Ganesha Temple after its main deity, Ganesha, and is the ...

Early life

Alagappan was born in

Kanadukathan Kanadukathan is a Town Panchayat (T.P.), Town Panchayat in the Karaikudi taluk of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Demographics In 2001, Kanadukathan had a population of 4,795 people. Of these, 10% were under 6 years of age. The town is ...

, India. Alagappan graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees from Presidency College in Chennai. Alagappan later received a master's degree from the

London School of Economics and Political Science The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public university, public research university in London, England, and a member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the University ...

in international relations.

Career

In London, Alagappan worked for

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

. Remarkably, while working at BBC, Alagappan interviewed a pope. After working at BBC, Alagappan returned to India and became a journalist for ''The Hindu''. He went on to work at the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

and transferred to New York in 1961. Alagappan worked at the UN for 30 years and served as the deputy director of the natural resources and energy division.

The Hindu Temple Society of North America

Algappan, along with a few others, established the

in 1970. He served as the chairman of the temple till 2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alagappan, Alagappa 1925 births 2014 deaths American officials of the United Nations Presidency College, Chennai alumni Alumni of the London School of Economics Indian emigrants to the United States