Chittarath Poovakkatt Krishnan Nair
| C. P. Krishnan Nair | |
|---|---|
| Born |
9 February 1922 Kannur district, Madras Presidency, British India |
| Died | 17 May 2014 (aged 92) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Founder The Leela Group |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 British India (1942-47) India (1947-51)
|
| Service/branch |
 Indian Army
|
| Years of service | 1942-1951 |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Unit | Maratha Light Infantry |
Captain Chittarath Poovakkatt Krishnan Nair (9 February 1922 – 17 May 2014), C.P. Krishnan Nair by Malayali naming conventions, was an Indian businessman who founded The Leela Group. He was a 2010 recipient of the Padma Bhushan, given by Government of India. He was sometimes popularly known as Captain Nair due to his service in the Indian Army.
Nair was born in a village in Kannur district in northern Kerala on 9 February 1922. At the time the village was located in the Malabar District of the Madras Presidency of the British Raj. Nair was one of eight children. His father worked as a government bill collector earning a monthly income of ₹9. His mother was a paddy farmer. During a visit by the Maharaja of Chirakkal to his school, Nair wrote and recited a poem in the Maharaja's honour. The poem impressed the Maharaja and he awarded Nair a lifetime scholarship. During his teenage years Nair met Communist leaders such as P. Krishna Pillai and A.K. Gopalan.
Nair joined the Indian independence movement at the age of 13. He traveled to Bangalore in 1942 to join the Indian Army. His confidence impressed the recruiting officer and he was recruited as wireless officer, and posted in Abbottabad (in present-day Pakistan). He would later rise to rank of Captain in the Maratha Light Infantry. In 1950, he married Leela, the daughter of industrialist A.K Nair, after whom he would name his future hotel chain. Nair resigned from the Indian Army in 1951.
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