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Harikrishnan Vasanthakumar (born 14 April 1950) is an Indian businessman and politician from Tamil Nadu, India. He is the founder and chairman of Vasanth & Co, the largest retail home appliance chain in Tamil Nadu. He is also the founder and managing director of the Tamil satellite TV channel Vasanth TV. He was elected to Tamil Nadu Assembly from Nanguneri constituency in 2006 election and 2016 election. He is currently elected as the Member of Parliament to the 17th Lok Sabha from Kanyakumari constituency.
Personal life
Vasanthakumar was born in Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari district, then in Travancore-Cochin to Harikrishnan Nadar and Thangammai ammal on 14 April 1950.
Career
He started his career as a salesman in the early 70s. In the year 1978 he started a home appliances sales showroom Vasanth & Co, which has grown to be a chain of showrooms operating in Tamil Nadu, Bangalore and Pondicherry.
Writings
Vasanthakumar wrote a book Vetripadi Kattu, which was released on 17 September 2006 by actor Rajnikanth and his wife Latha Rajnikanth. His next work Vetripadikkattu was set to be released on 15 February 2015 in Chennai. He was a sponsor and judge for cookery show "Saapida Vanga" of Doordarshan Kendra, Chennai.
Political career
Vasanthakumar won the 2006 Tamil Nadu assembly election to become a MLA, competing against S.P. Sooryakumar of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He gave an assurance to the voters that if his coalition came to power, the ambitious project of establishing a Special Economic Zone at Nanguneri with high-tech park would be considered. He served as MLA from the Nanguneri Constituency of Tirunelveli district between 2006 and 2011. He is the Vice-President of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and also the Chairman of the TNCC Traders cell. He won the 2016 Tamil Nadu assembly election from Nanguneri Constituency with a tiny margin. Meanwhile he contested in the 17th Loksabha elections and won from Kanyakumari constituency in 2019. He won against incumbent Minister of State for Finance Pon Radhakrishnan with over 250,000 margin.
