Thanappa Mudaliar

Thaniappa Mudaliar was also known as Lazarus Timothy. He was the first chief dubash of the French East India Company. He played an important role in creating and instituting the French colony in Pondicherry.
Little is known of Thaniappa Mudaliar. We know that he was originally from Poonamallee and was converted by the Portuguese in Santhome after what he accompanied the French and settled down in Pondicherry. There he served as a Courtier or the Chief dubash, a bridge between the Company and the local merchants. His was the highest post for which any Indian was eligible or entitled to under the French organization of trade in India.

The commercial intermediaries served the French Company at two stages. It was expected that by using the dubash the costs would be reduced and a greater local knowledge of the market would be brought into play, in favor of the Company. The import-export business of the Company was canalized through the hands of the dubash. Whether the Company decided to procure the local merchandise for export or intended to dispose of their European goods, the dubash was intimated. He swung into action and sent for the local merchants residing in the French colonies as well as far and wide in the hinterland region. The most difficult and challenging part of the dubash's duty was fixing the prices of the merchandise to the utmost satisfaction of both the Company and the merchants. It called for the use all the persuasive power at his disposal to arrive at a reasonable and acceptable price. His failure to satisfy the French Company in this regard would even cost him his post. Thanappa Mudaliar, who happened to be the first native courtier of the French East India Company in Pondicherry, was unceremoniously removed and replaced by Nainiappa Pillai as courtier in 1708, due to his failure in convincing the local merchants to purchase coral at the price demanded by the French. Ananda Ranga Pillai, another dubash, too alludes to this episode and points out that the dealings of the Company with the merchants as a group rather than as individuals complicated the process of price fixation further.

To maintain their status and gain popular acclaim the native merchant community engaged in philanthropic activities. Thanappa Mudaliar had also spent considerable portion of his wealth in building St. Lazaro's church at Pondicherry. His grandson Kanakaraya Mudaliar also served as dubash of the French East India Company.