Thiru C Valliappa, Chairman of the Sona Group, manages Valliappa Software Technological Park located at Sona Towers, Bangalore, which stood as a model building during 1970s and attracted government officials to stipulate norm similar to this one for high rise building to obviate flouting of construction norms by the contractors. He has passion for Civil Engineering and involved himself in the implementation of new techniques in construction.

He also manages many more verticals including warehousing, logistics for multinational companies.

It was his company to bring first many software companies to India and especially to Bangalore. It housed prestigious multinational companies like Texas Instruments (first software company to India), Oracle, Cisco, ANZ IT, etc.  along with reputed Indian companies like VSNL, C-DOT, Titan ABB, who were also housed at Sona Towers

• He was pioneer in setting up textile units (Sree Valliappa Textiles) and running them successfully in Karnataka.  With his business acumen and leadership quality, he has been the President of The Karnataka Textile Mills’ Association for more than 25 years.  He envisoned the importance of having own building for association and succeeded in implementing his dream thereby constructing a model association. He also brought unity amongst textile sector and interacted with Center and state governments for the benefit of the business interest of the textile fraternity. 
• He also owns large plantations at Chickmangalur & Coorg and manages the estate very scientifically.
• He is actively associated in the Education sector;

  He is also the Chairman of Sona College of Technology and Thiagarajar Polytechnic – an autonomous institution started at Sri Rajaji’s home at Salem.  Many legends like Sri Venataraman and Sri Abdul Kalam  and leading celebrities, technocrats, bureaucrats and politicians have graced  the institute, and have appreciated the efforts of Sona Institutions.

He has held many positions such as,

PRESIDENT:

1988 – 89   Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (which was founded by Bharata Ratna Sir M. Visveswaraiah)
1994 – 95   Bangalore Management Association. 
1995 – 96   Bangalore Chamber of  Industry & Commerce ( BCIC)
1997 – 99    Employers’ Federation of Southern India, Chennai. (EFSI)

Member :

Council of Administration, The South India Textile Research Association,Coimbatore
The Indian Cotton Mills Asssociation, Mumbai
South India Mills Association, Coimbatore (SIMA)

Director         

• All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE)
  
• Cotton Advisory Board, Mumbai
  
• Karnataka State Industrial Investment & Development Corporation, Govt of Karnataka Undertaking, Bangalore.

Board Member of Karnataka Welfare Board, Karnataka
Even During his college days in 1962 , He was the Secretary/President of Madras Nagarathar Manavar Sangam.
He has served as Secretary, Salem Nagarathar Sangam for a long time.
For more than 30 years, he is a Vice-President of Karnataka Nagarathar Sangam along Thiru. A.L. Muthiah Chettiar
Currently, he is holding the position of President, Nagarathar Sangam – Karnataka 
He has been elected as the president for the Employers’ Federation of Southern India, Chennai. (EFSI) for the year 2017.