Twenty four Manai Telugu Chettiars

The 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar (24MTC) is a merchant social group who are predominantly found in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana in India, as well as Sri Lanka.

Occupation
In the agrarian era, they were originally manufacturers of bags made out of hemp (jute fibers), but later they entered into trading different merchandises and by the British colonial period (early 19th century) they were mostly engaged in trade by transporting the goods about towns and village and particularly in the city of Madras, the trade of various kinds of fruits was largely in their hands. Now this community is predominantly diversified into grocery, oil, agriculture, money lending business, industries, metal, commodities and other small trades.

Origin, Etymology and history
They were a section of Balija community  that later developed into a distinct one as Saluppan or Janappan Chetties (because of their jute hemp-bag trade) as per the information sourced from their section of people at that time (British colonial rule) by Edgar Thurston, Superintendent for Madras Government Museum that was released by British Government press, Madras as a part in the book titled "Castes and Tribes of Southern India" in 1909.

Saluppan Chettis had 24 gothras or clans from which the present name "24 manai telugu chetty" or "24 manai telugu chettiars" came from.

Community Sub divisions or clans
Their 24 Gothras are further divided into groups of sixteen and eight. Usually marriage is forbidden between members of the same group, but permitted between members of the sixteen and eight gōtras. Among the names of the gōtras as per the historians, are the following: Vasava, Vamme, Mummudi, Pilli Vankaravan, Makkiduvan, Thallelan, Gendagiri, Madalavan, Piligara, Mukkanda, Vadiya, Thonda, Kōla.

Present forms of Gothras or clans 16 Veedu: Mummudiyar, Tharishiyavar, Kolavar, Kanithiyavar, Thillaiyavar, Paluvidhiyar, Chennaiyavar, Mathalaiyavar, Kothavangavar, Rajabhairavar, Vammaiyar, Kappavar, Vachiyavar, Kenthiyavar, Naliviraiyavar, Surayavar, Gandavangavalar 8 Veedu: Makkadaiyar, Korahaiyar, Marattaiyar, Kavalaiyar, Pillivangavar, Thavalaiyar, Soppiyar, Kottavar, Nalabakshiyavar

Notable people

 * Udumalai Narayana Kavi
 * Kutraleeshwaran
 * Pollachi V. Jayaraman
 * Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan
 * E. G. Sugavanam