TT Jagannathan, Chairman Emeritus of TTK Group and the driving force behind Prestige’s evolution into a household name, has passed away in Bengaluru at the age of 82. Widely known as ‘The Kitchen Mogul’, Jagannathan has been credited with revolutionising India’s kitchenware industry and steering TTK Prestige from crisis to category leadership.
A gold medalist from IIT Madras and a PhD holder in Operations Research from Cornell University, Jagannathan has combined academic excellence with business acumen to redefine Indian manufacturing. Under his stewardship, Prestige has become synonymous with innovation and safety, most notably with the introduction of the gasket release system in pressure cookers, a groundbreaking feature that has set new industry standards.
In the 1990s, when TTK Prestige had faced near-bankruptcy due to overexpansion, Jagannathan had led a bold turnaround by restructuring operations, focusing on core kitchen appliances, and designing products around consumer needs. His leadership has transformed the company into a debt-free, billion-dollar brand that continues to dominate Indian kitchens.
Jagannathan has documented this journey in his acclaimed book Disrupt and Conquer: How TTK Prestige Became a Billion Dollar Company, offering invaluable lessons in innovation and resilience.
Colleagues and peers have remembered him as both a visionary leader and a passionate cook who personally tested products to ensure functionality and trust. His legacy also lives on through Prestige’s iconic advertising, especially the unforgettable line, “Jo biwi se kare pyaar, woh Prestige se kaise kare inkaar.”
