Janab A.Thangal Kunju Musaliar was born in a middle class family at the ancestral home of his parents at Kollam on 12th January 1897. His family proudly traces their ancestry to Malik ibu Deenar, a legendary islamic missionary who came to India in the 8th century. Another ancestor of the later generation was Sheikh Ali Hassan Musaliar entombed in the Sheikh Masjit at Karunagappally, Sri.Musaliar is being the 12th in the line after him.

The name Thangal Kunju Musaliar conjures up the memories of an era, when Kerala dominated the cashew export trade in the 1940s and 50s. He was a pioneer in this field who built up a vast business empire through impeccable planning and its systematic implementation and played a pivotal role in contributing the much - needed foreign exchange to the state.