Veteran industrialist, philanthropist and a noted three-time MLA, ‘Pollachi’ N Mahalingam passed away in Chennai on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest. The 91-year-old industrialist was the chairman of the over Rs 5,000-crore Sakthi Group of Companies and Anamallais Bus Transport Ltd (ABT Services). Notably, he was a staunch Gandhian and died on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.