Vijayaraghunatha Sethupathi became a king after his adoptive father Raghunatha Kilavan chose him as heir apparent on his death bed. Vijayaraghunatha was a ruler of considerable ability. The kingdom was on the brink of a famine when he ascended the throne but he handled the situation appreciably well. He set up his base in the fortress of Aranthangi. With the assistance of French engineers he built a fort at Gundar in Kamudhi in present day Ramanathapuram district. Being a pious Hindu, Vijayaraghunatha frequently visited the temple at Rameswaram and made donations.
