->Rlink2 at 17:08, 5 December 2021

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{{short description|Indian Politician}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan
| office = [[Government of Tamil Nadu|Minister for Tamil Official Language, Tamil Culture and Archaeology]]
| image = K. Pandiarajan.jpg
| caption = K. Pandiarajan in Soosaiya Nagar, Chennai on 71st Independence Day of India.
| constituency = [[Avadi (State Assembly Constituency)|Avadi]]
| term_start = 21 August 2017
| term_end = 6 May 2021
| predecessor = ''Position established''
| successor = Incumbent
| 1blankname = Chief minister
| 1namedata = [[Edappadi K. Palaniswami]]
| office1 = [[Government of Tamil Nadu|Minister for School Education, Youth Affairs and Sports (Government of Tamil Nadu)]]
| term_start1 = 29 August 2016
| term_end1 = 17 May 2017
| 1blankname1 = Chief minister
| 1namedata1 = [[J. Jayalalithaa]] [[O. Panneerselvam]]
| predecessor1 = [[P. Benjamin]]
| successor1 = [[K. A. Sengottaiyan]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1959|05|13}}
| birth_place = Villampatti, [[Sivakasi]], [[Madras State]] (now [[Virudhunagar District]], Tamil Nadu, [[India]])
| otherparty = [[Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam]]
| spouse = Hemalatha<ref name=KP-B-13/>
| children = Suhaas (son) Sunila (daughter)
| residence = [[Chennai]], Tamil Nadu, India
| party = [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]]
| alma_mater = [[PSG College of Technology]], Coimbatore ([[Bachelor of Engineering|BE]]) [[XLRI Jamshedpur|XLRI, Jamshedpur]] (MBA)
| occupation = Businessman, politician
| website =
| ethnicity =
| networth =
| office2 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member]] of [[Tamil Nadu legislative assembly]]
| termstart2 = 15 May 2011
| termend2 = 6 May 2021
| profession =
| image name =
| portfolio = Chairman at Ma Foi Solutions
| constituency1 =
}}

'''K. Pandiarajan''' (born 13 May 1959) popularly known as '''Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan''' is an Indian businessman and politician from [[Tamil Nadu]]. Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan is Minister of Avadi Constituency from 2016. He is the founder of [[Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd]], a human resource management company, and CIEL HR Services, another talent acquisition firm. He contested in the 2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election as a [[Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam]] (DMDK) candidate and won from his Virdhunagar constituency. Again he contested in the 2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election as an [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] (AIADMK) candidate and won from his [[Avadi (State Assembly Constituency)|Avadi constituency]].

Pandiarajan was appointed as Minister for School Education, Youth Welfare and Sports by former [[Tamil Nadu Chief Minister]], [[J. Jayalalithaa]] on 29 August 2016. He remained in her cabinet until her death on 5 December 2016. He was immediately sworn into the same office by the new Chief Minister, [[O. Panneerselvam]]. He half-heartedly supported the appointment of [[V. K. Sasikala]] as General Secretary of AIADMK before deciding to support the Panneerselvam faction when Panneerselvam turned against Sasikala. He was relieved of his ministerial office when [[Edappadi K. Palaniswami]] became Chief Minister. Later, in August 2017, Panneerselvam's and Palaniswami's Factions joined and gained majority in the house. Pandiarajan was appointed as Minister for Tamil language, Tamil Culture and Archaeology.

==Early life and education==
K.Pandiarajan was born on 26 April 1959 in a village near [[Sivakasi]], [[Virudhunagar district|Virudhunagar]] district.<ref name=KP-B-10/> When Pandiarajan was three months old, he lost his father, a worker in a local [[Match box|match]] factory. He was brought up by his maternal grandparents.

He finished his schooling from the [[Sivakasi#Schools|Sivakasi Hindu Nadar Victoria School, Sivakasi]] and in 1976, joined [[PSG College of Technology]], [[Coimbatore]] for an undergraduate course in Engineering. After earning his [[Bachelor of Engineering|BE]] (Hons) degree, Pandia Rajan enrolled for an [[MBA]] programme in [[Industrial Relations]] at [[XLRI Jamshedpur|Xavier Labour Relations Institute]], [[Jamshedpur]], which he completed in 1984.<ref name=KP-B-11/>

==Career==
After graduating from XLRI in 1984, he joined the Indian operations of an [[industrial gas]] multi-national [[The BOC Group|BOC Group]] and later [[Deutsche Babcock]].<ref name=KP-B-11/><ref name=KP-B-17/> In 1992,<ref name=KP-B-11/><ref name=KP-B-09/> he co-founded [[Ma Foi Management Consultants]] along with his wife, to tap into opportunities arising out of the [[economic liberalisation in India|1991 economic liberalisation policy in India]]. The initial focus of Ma Foi was placing middle-level and managerial people overseas, especially in the West Asia.<ref name=KP-B-18/><ref name=KP-B-12/> In 2002, Ma Foi partnered with Editor, a Dutch head-hunter firm looking to expand their operations in West Asia and South-East Asia.<ref name=KP-B-11/> He sold majority of his stake in Ma Foi to Vedior in 2004.<ref name=KP-B-06/> In 2007, Dutch HR services firm [[Randstad Holding|Randstad]] acquired the operations of Ma Foi through its US$5.14 billion acquisition of Vedior. Pandiarajan became the Chairman of [[Randstad India]].<ref name=KP-B-08/>

On 5 April 2012, he announced the launch of a new venture focusing on [[management consulting]] and education space – [[Ma Foi Strategic Consultants Pvt. Ltd]], with investments of over ₹ 250 million in the first three years.<ref name=KP-B-13/> The new company had got into an agreement with Randstad for using the brand [[Ma Foi]] for three years.<ref name=KP-B-14/> Pandirajan, along with a few Ma Foi veterans, made his latest foray into the HR Services industry with the launch of CIEL HR Services in August 2015.<ref name=KP-B-21/> CIEL HR focuses on talent acquisition for companies and flex staffing using modern analytical tools.

===Political career: 2000 – till date===
Pandiarajan joined the DMDK party founded by actor turned politician [[Vijaykanth]] .<ref name=KP-B-03/><ref name=KP-B-04/><ref name=KP-B-05/> He contested in the [[2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election]] and won from his [[Virudhunagar (State Assembly Constituency)|Virdhunagar constituency]] with a margin of 21,286.<ref name=KP-B-19/> He switched loyalties to AIADMK in 2013 and won as a MLA from Avadi Constituency in 2016 Tamil Nadu assembly elections as an AIADMK candidate.

In February 2017, following the appointment of [[Edappadi K. Palaniswami]] as Chief Minister in place of [[O. Paneerselvam]], [[K. A. Sengottaiyan]] replaced Pandiarajan as Minister for School Education. Pandiarajan was the only cabinet minister to have supported Paneerselvam during a party dispute in which [[V. K. Sasikala]] was being touted as a possible Chief Minister. The appointment of Sengottaiyan was the only change made to the cabinet by Palaniswami at that time.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Economic Times |url=http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/31-member-palaniswami-cabinet-to-be-sworn-in-at-430pm/articleshow/57185887.cms |first=Julie |last=Mariappan |date=16 February 2017 |title=31-member Palaniswami cabinet to be sworn in at 4.30 pm|access-date=5 May 2017}}</ref>

On 21 August 2017, with the merger of [[AIADMK]] factions headed by [[Edappadi K. Palaniswami]] and [[O. Panneerselvam]], Pandiarajan was again sworn in as a cabinet minister with portfolios of archaeology, Tamil language and Culture.<ref>http://www.ptinews.com/news/9000809_OPS-sworn-in-as-TN-deputy-CM--to-hold-finance-portfolio</ref>

==Personal life==
Pandiarajan lives in Chennai with his wife, Hemalatha. He was born near Sivakasi.<ref name=KP-B-18/> He has two children.

==References==
{{Reflist|1|refs=

<ref name=KP-B-03>{{cite web|url=http://newshopper.sulekha.com/hr-professional-throws-hat-into-poll-ring_news_1055262.htm|title=HR professional throws hat into poll ring|access-date=7 June 2012|publisher=Sulekha News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130204105854/http://newshopper.sulekha.com/hr-professional-throws-hat-into-poll-ring_news_1055262.htm|archive-date=4 February 2013}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-04>{{cite web |url=http://www.financialexpress.com/news/mba-to-mla/796919/0|title=MBA to MLA|access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Financial Express|date=30 May 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-05>{{cite web|url=http://expressbuzz.com/Cities/Chennai/mafoi-founder-to-contest-polls/55259.html|title=Ma Foi founder contests election|access-date=7 June 2012|work=The New Indian Express}}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-06>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.in/2004/07/10/stories/2004071002270400.htm|date= 10 July 2004 |title=Vedior to use Ma Foi for Asian expansion|access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-08>{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/article2216584.ece|title=Creating value is more important than playing a valuation game|date=12 March 2012 |access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-09>{{cite web|url=http://210.212.115.113:81/R.%20J.%20Masilamani/Summer%20reports/HR/Organisational_Management/Consulting%20(J.Mathangi).pdf|title=Competency Matrix as a tool for organisational development as a tool|access-date=7 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512210242/http://210.212.115.113:81/R.%20J.%20Masilamani/Summer%20reports/HR/Organisational_Management/Consulting%20(J.Mathangi).pdf|archive-date=12 May 2013|url-status=dead}} by J. Mathangi, Birla Institute of Management Technology</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-10>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustanpages.com/k-pandiarajan-mla-virudhungar-tamilnadu|title=Thiru K. Pandiarajan Bio|access-date=7 June 2012|publisher=hindustanpages.com|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125084011/http://www.hindustanpages.com/k-pandiarajan-mla-virudhungar-tamilnadu|archive-date=25 January 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-11>{{cite web |url=http://www.maduraimessenger.org/printed-version/2009/april/cover-story/|title=Cover Story : Ma Foi SUCCESS |access-date=7 June 2012|publisher=maduraimessenger.org}} by Xavier Roderic Hoffman</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-12>{{cite news |url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/emerging-businesses/entrepreneurs/how-pandia-rajan-built-from-scratch-the-countrys-largest-human-resource-consulting-firm-ma-foi/articleshow/13467664.cms|title=How Pandia Rajan built from scratch the country's largest human resource consulting firm—Ma Foi |date= 25 May 2012 |access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Economic Times|last1=Gooptu |first1=Biswarup }}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-13>{{cite web|url=http://automotivehorizon.sulekha.com/ma-foi-to-diversy-its-business-beyond-staffing-solutions_04_2012_postedby_jayashankar-menon|title=Ma Foi To Diversy Its Business Beyond Staffing Solutions in India|date=7 April 2012|access-date=7 June 2012|publisher=sulekha.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203073831/http://automotivehorizon.sulekha.com/ma-foi-to-diversy-its-business-beyond-staffing-solutions_04_2012_postedby_jayashankar-menon|archive-date=3 February 2013}} by Jayashankar Menon</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-14>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/article3284576.ece|title=Ma Foi founders start afresh|date= 5 April 2012 |access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-17>{{cite web|url=http://hrconference2011.com/cmspreview.aspx?PageId=99|title=HR Conference 2011 – Speaker Bio K. Pandia Rajan|access-date=7 June 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125190520/http://hrconference2011.com/cmspreview.aspx?PageId=99|archive-date=25 January 2013}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-18>{{cite web |url=http://specials.rediff.com/money/2008/apr/16inspire3.htm|title=An amazing story: From Rs 60,000 to Rs 435 crore!|date=16 April 2008|access-date=7 June 2012|publisher=Rediff}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-19>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/hr-czar-corporate-innovator-now-a-tamil-nadu-mla/812179/0|title=HR czar, corporate innovator, now a Tamil Nadu MLA|access-date=7 June 2012|work=The Indian Express|date=3 July 2011}}</ref>

<ref name=KP-B-21>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/ma-foi-founders-return-launch-analytics-based-hr-services-company/article7503948.ece|title=Ma Foi founder return, launch analytics based HR services company|access-date=6 August 2015|work=The Hindu|date=5 August 2015|last1=Lakshman|first1=Sriram}}</ref>

}}

{{Government of Tamil Nadu}}
{{Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pandiarajan, K.}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian chief executives]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Chennai]]
[[Category:Tamil businesspeople]]
[[Category:Members of the 14th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam politicians]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the 15th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:XLRI – Xavier School of Management alumni]]

K. Pandiarajan - Revision history

->Rlink2 at 17:08, 5 December 2021