Thangal Kunju Musaliar was born into a middle-class family in Kollam on 12 January 1897. His ancestry can be traced back to Malik Bin Deenar, the legendary Islamic missionary who came to India in the 8th Century. The name Thangal Kunju Musaliar conjures up memories of an era when the area that was eventually to become Kerala State dominated the cashew export trade. He was a pioneer in this field who build up a vast business empire through impeccable planning and the systematic implementation of more efficient production and transportation methods. By 1940, he had the unique distinction of being one of the world's largest employers, employing over 100,000 people. In 1956, while at the peak of his business career, Musaliar formed the TKM Educational Trust to cater for the educational needs of the people of Kerala. The Trust established institutions such as TKM College of Engineering, TKM College of Arts and Science, TKM Institute of Technology, TKM Institute of Management, TKM Secondary School, TKM Centenary Public School and the TKM School of Architecture.
Musaliar is the author of the 1949 book, Man and the World, Practical Philosophy and Law of Nature.