He convinced Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to house one of the Government's National Research Institutes in the heart of the Alagappa campus. At the inauguration of the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) on 14 January 1953, the then Vice-President of India Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan surmised Alagappa Chettiar pioneered the centre of excellence "A.C.College of Technology" (named after him) at Guindy, Chennai, which offers specialised Engineering & Technology courses including Chemical Technology, Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals, Textile Engineering, Leather Technology, Industrial Biotechnology, Ceramic Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Food Technology, etc. Presently it comes under the governance of Anna University. His gave away his own palatial residence in Kottaiyur to start a women's college. Notable donations and institutions His other foundations and charitable donations included: Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology,(Now known as Alagappa College of Technology Campus- Anna University Chennai) Alagappa Chettiar Government College of Engineering & Technology (ACCET) at Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu. (Now an autonomous government institution) Alagappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Alagappa Arts College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu Alagappa College of Polytechnic, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu Alagappa Physical Education College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu Alagappa Primary School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu Alagappa Montessori School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu Alagappa Preparatory School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him) Alagappa Matriculation School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him) Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School at his birthplace, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu A ladies' hostel at Vepery, Chennai A gift for the development of the township infrastructure of Kottaiyur A gift for the Meenakshi club at Kandanur, Tamil Nadu A donation for the H.M.I.S Fund Foundation of an engineering college at Annamalai University, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu Foundation of a college of technology at Madras University, subsequently named Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology, Guindy, Chennai A donation to establish higher education in Malaysia A donation to establish the South Indian Educational Society at New Delhi in 1948 A donation to the Lady Doak College at Madurai A donation for constructing "Alagappa Mandapam" at Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya in 1946 – the Foundation Stone was laid by M.K.Gandhi A donation for publishing Tamil Kalangiyam A donation to the Cochin Cyclone Relief fund A donation for geological research by the Travancore government A donation for establishing a maternity hospital and childcare centre in Cochin A donation for indigenous medicine research by Ernakulam Maharaja College