Rtn Chella K Raghavendran (affectionately known as Chella) was born into a family of Chartered Accountants. He completed his early education and college in Chennai and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in January 1999. He is a partner at M/s S Viswanathan LLP, Chartered Accountants, a firm founded in 1932 by his grand-uncle. He also holds a Post Qualification Diploma in Information Systems Audit from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi.

Rotary Career

Chella’s Rotary journey began on 12th May 2002 when he joined the Rotary Club of Chennai Towers, where he served as Treasurer and Secretary. After relocating to Coimbatore for professional reasons, he joined the Rotary Club of Coimbatore Spectrum in January 2004. Rising through various leadership roles, he became Club President in 2007-08, during which the club won multiple accolades, including the prestigious RI Presidential Citation

Actively involved in Rotary District activities since 2008-09, he has held several key positions,including GGR, Assistant Governor, District Chair (Club Administration, Vocational Service, and Community Service), two terms as Grants Sub-Committee Chair, District Director of Coimbatore Zone, and District General Secretary. He served as the District Rotary Foundation Chair of RI District 3201 from 2022 to 2025. In 2023-24, the district surpassed US$ 2.1 million in contributions to The Rotary Foundation.

Recognized for his leadership skills, Chella has been entrusted with chairing major district-level events, including AGTS, PETS, District Assembly, District TRF Seminar, and District Membership Seminar. He is also a sought-after training leader in numerous Rotary programs and has been invited to share his knowledge and experience at various forums.

A widely traveled Rotarian, Chella has attended Rotary International Conventions in Los Angeles,Birmingham, and Singapore. He has visited numerous Rotary clubs worldwide, exchanging flags and strengthening international ties.

Chella is a Major Donor to The Rotary Foundation and is also a benefactor and a member of the Paul Harris Society. He is a proud recipient of the Avenues of Service Citation.

In recognition of his commitment and leadership, he has been elected unopposed as the first District Governor of RI District 3206 for the Rotary Year 2025-26, overseeing clubs in Coimbatore and Palghat revenue district. Additionally, he had served as the Joint Treasurer for the Rotary Zone Institute held in Kochi in December 2024 and has successfully furnished the accounts on time to the Rotary International.Recently, Chella has been unanimously elected for the Rotary Year 2025-26 as the Representative of Zone 5 on the Rotary News Trust, which publishes the Rotary News – a Regional Rotary Magazine with the largest circulation. He is now the Treasurer of the News Trust.

Other Social Contributions

Beyond Rotary, Chella is actively involved in social and professional organizations. Since 2011, he has been a member of the executive committee of The Kodaikanal Club, one of the oldest clubs in India, established in 1887, with several corporate leaders on its board. A Freemason since 2000, he served as the Master of Lodge Siruvani No. 394 from 2020 to 2022 and currently holds office at the regional level. He is also the founder member of the International Fellowship of Cricket Loving Rotarians (IFCR), Coimbatore Chapter, and the International Fellowship of Rotarian Musicians (IFRM), Coimbatore Chapter

Professional life

Chella is married to Rtn Preethi, and they have two children: Shivnarayan and Madhulika. Shivnarayan, a graduate of Christ University, Bangalore and has completed his Masters in Media and Communication at the University of Amsterdam, while Madhulika is pursuing her Bachelors in Commerce at PSGR Krishnammal College for Women.

An ardent lover of music, cricket, reading, and travel, Chella enjoys exploring new experiences and engaging in meaningful service to the community.