C. P. Krishnan Nair
| C. P. Krishnan Nair | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 9, 1922[1] Kannur, Kerala |
| Died |
May 17, 2014 (aged 92) Mumbai |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Founder The Leela Group |
Chittarath Poovakkatt Krishnan Nair (February 9, 1922 – May 17, 2014), C.P. Krishnan Nair by Keralan naming conventions, was an Indian businessman who founded The Leela Group.[2][3][4] He was a 2010 recipient of the Padma Bhushan, given by Government of India.[5] He was sometimes popularly known as Captain Nair due to his service in the Indian Army.
Early life
Nair was born and brought up in Kannur district in North Kerala, India, one of the eight children of a government bill collector. [6] He joined Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's independence movement at the age of 14 as an aide.
Family
In 1950 Nair married his wife Leela and had two sons: Vivek Nair and Dinesh Nair. Currently Vivek is the chairman and managing director of the Leela Group, while Dinesh is the co-chairman of Leela group. Nair is a relative of V.P. Menon, the Indian Civil servant who helped Vallabhbhai Patel in uniting the different states of India.[7]
Career
Nair began his career with the post-independence Indian Army in the Maratha Light Infantry, and rose to the rank of captain. In 1950, he married Leela, the daughter of a handloom owner from Kannur. Subsequently, he started helping his father-in-law in the latter's garment export business, eventually taking it over and developing export markets. In 1958, he joined hands with Brooks Brothers to announce Bleeding Madras fabric, which later had clients like Tommy Hilfiger, Wal-Mart, Liz Claiborne and Macy's. Later that year, he started his lace-weaving unit in Mumbai's Sahar area.
Leela Hotels
In 1957, he was part of a delegation of the Handloom Board to West Germany, which involved visits to Frankfurt, Cologne, Munich and Hamburg. Here after his stay at the Kempinsky Hotel in Budapest, he realized the need for a luxury hotel chain in India that could measure up to international standards.[6][8] With the Sahar International Airport opening in 1981, a niche for a luxury hotel near it arose and thus he realised his three decade old dream with the launch of his first hotel in Mumbai as Hotel Leela, at Sahar, Mumbai in 1986, named Leela, after the wife;[9] this was followed by the Leela Goa, the Leela Palace in Bangalore and the Leela Beach Resort in Thiruvananthapuram.[6][10]
Awards
The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS) conferred him a Lifetime Achievement Award and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) awarded him the Global 500 Roll of Honour award in 1999.[6][11] Eventually he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, by Government of India in 2010. He was also awarded the "Hotelier of The Century" Award by International Hotels and Restaurant Association, based in Geneva, Switzerland, in 2009.[12] He stepped down as the chairman of Hotel Leela on 7 February 2013 and will be succeeded by his eldest son, Vivek Nair.[13]
Death
Krishnan Nair died at 3:30 AM on May 17, 2014 at Hinduja Hospital Mumbai, following a brief illness.[14]
References
- ↑ "C.P. Krishnan Nair Horoscope".
- ↑ "Chairman's message" Leela Group of Hotels website
- ↑ "History". The Leela website.
- ↑ "Executive Profile: C. P. Krishnan Nair". Business Week.
- ↑ "This Year’s Padma Awards Announced" Ministry of Home Affairs, January 25, 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 Template:Cite . He belonged to the Vaniya community, oil monger, who are oil mongers and belong to OBC.news
- ↑ Sanghvi, Vir. "Captain Nair always thought big". Vir Sanghvi. Retrieved 19 August 2015.
- ↑ "Tête-à-tête with Captain C P Krishnan Nair". Economic Times. 24 Nov 2008.
- ↑ Sanghvi, Vir (February 12, 2011). "Hotel Leela's Captain Courageous". Hindustan Times New Delhi.
- ↑ "Lounge:The Communist who turned luxe". Mint (newspaper). Apr 16, 2010.
- ↑ "Adult Award Winner in 1999: Capt. C. P. Krishnan Nair". Global 500 Roll of Honour website.
- ↑ "Hotelier of The Century". International Hotel & Restaurant Association.
- ↑ http://profit.ndtv.com/news/corporates/article-hotel-leela-founder-steps-down-as-chairman-317583?pfrom=home-business..!
- ↑ "Leela Group founder Capt. C P Krishnan Nair dies at 92". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
External links
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