The experience of Padam Shree Dr. A. Sakthivel is an interesting account of foresight, dedication and transformational governance. In 1973, he started on a modest venture in Tirupur and started what is now the Poppys Group, a multi-sector business with a turnover of $100 million. During his tenure, he transformed the group by adding travel, hospitality, packaging, automation, ethanol production and asset reconstruction to their portfolio.
But on the other side of the numbers is a man of strong values an industry leader, philanthropist and a nationalist who has contributed significantly to the path that the India apparel industry has taken. His contributions to the Arulmigu Avinashilingeswarar Temple and the fact that he is the only one who can perform two consecration ceremonies as the Chairman of the board of trustees show his spiritual orientation and his dedication to the culture.
Padam Shree Dr. Sakthivel continues to serve as a Board Member of the Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) for over 40 years and has been the Chairman of the council on four separate occasions, which is unique. He is also impressive in terms of his leadership in the Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) since its beginning year, 1990.
He led Tirupur to increase its exports to over 45,000 crores by the year 2025 where Tirupur exported 15 crores of rupees in the year 1984. The introduction of his landmark programs, such as TEKIC, ICD, NIFT-TEA and 1200 crore water project via NTADCL—the first of its kind PPP model—has not only changed industries but also people.
Dr. Sakthivel also made significant contributions to skill development. As the founder and chairman of AMHSSC, he elevated the Council’s performance, guiding it to ₹117 crore turnover in 2024–25, a 10% increase over the previous year.
His emphasis on ESG in the apparel sector was marked by a nationwide e-learning course on sustainable fashion in collaboration with Bluesign.
In the international arena, he led 51 successful trade fairs through the India Knit Fair Association (IKFA), creating global market access for knitwear exporters. He played key roles at institutions like NIFT, UCO Bank, IDBI, ECGC, and ICCI and was instrumental in expanding NIFT centers across India, furthering skill education and industry relevance.
As the President of FIEO from 2021 to 2023, he represented over 34,000 exporters and helped drive India’s exports from US$ 500 billion to a record US$ 776 billion. Hon’ble Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, recognizing his service, called him the “Bhishma Pitamaha” of India’s exports and released a biography titled Bhishma Pitamaha of India’s Exports—a tribute to a man who sees himself not as a leader, but as a soldier in the ranks of his mentor.
His humility remains as inspiring as his accomplishments. Recently, he was re-elected as Vice Chairman of the Council and will again become Chairman of AEPC in 2026, continuing his legacy.
His awards are many: Padma Shri in 2009, an honorary Doctor of Literature by Bharathiyar University and several lifetime achievement awards and awards such as Guru of the Indian Apparel Cluster and Pride of India. He became the first Coimbatore native to become President of ICCI and also held the post of Chairman IACC Tamil Nadu, through which he invited Indo-US trade relations.
By being the Chairman of the Kongu Global Forum, he increased air connectivity in Tamil Nadu and therefore his insignia is not merely for business.
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In the recent past, at the Bharat Tex 2025, he apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the ESG initiatives of Tirupur. It was an emotional criterion that the PM conveyed gratitude for his vision and implementation in sustainability, ethical practices and green transformation. Once more at the 3rd Man-Made Fibre Conclave in June 2025, Dr. Sakthivel was honored again for the transformational effect.
Decades of servile effort and the establishment of institutions and being instrumental in policies have been one matter, but it is the way in which Dr. A. Sakthivel lifted the lives of so many people that we find him creating vision in so many people to aim higher. And his voyage is the fulfillment of the quote, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” True, there is more than a mere leader; Dr. Sakthivel is a legacy.
