Profile
Officer under the C.S.I.R, to teach modern semiconductor electronics in the Electrical Engineering Department of the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, as a part of the Scientist pool scheme initiated by Late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to bring back talented Indians working abroad. Nambiar stayed there till 1964 before joining Philips India as Manager of Projects. in 1967, he left Philips and joined Bharat Electronics Limited as Joint Head of the Piezo Electric Crystal Division in Bangalore, where he set up the first communication crystals factory in India during his brief stay there.
Towards the fag end of 1967, Nambiar joined Tata as the General Manager of National Radio & Electronics Co. Ltd., (NELCO). In two years with the company, he set up the first applied Electronic Research and Development Centre for industrial electronics in India. He was also instrumental in introducing a number of new products under NELCO banner such as speed control for AC and DC Motors, Static Inverters and Converters, Calculators, Electronic Clocks and Display Systems. Silicon transistor Radios were introduced for the first time in the country in 1968 by NELCO during this period. That was when he received an invitation from Kerala Government to set up an electronics manufacturing firm in Kerala.
Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KELTRON) was formed in 1973 with K. P. P. Nambiar as its first Chairman and Managing Director. He remained in that position till 1983 when he was made the Executive Chairman till his retirement in 1985. In 1985, Nambiar was appointed as the Chairman and Managing Director of Indian Telephone Industries Limited, the largest Public Sector Company in Telecommunication in India and retired from Government service in 1989.
Kerala Government, in 1989, appointed him as the Honorary Special Advisor and that was when he drew up the blueprint for Techno Park in Thiruvananthapuram. The Park came into existence on 31 March 1991.While acting as the Special Advisor, Nambiar set up a private company in Bangalore, Namtech Electronic Devices Limited, for the manufacture of Fail Safe Gas Discharge Tubes used as Surge Arresters in Electronic and Telecommunication equipment. Namtech is also involved in the manufacture of quartz crystals, crystal oscillators, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and LED Displays.
Kerala Government, in 1989, appointed him as the Honorary Special Advisor and that was when he drew up the blueprint for Techno Park in Thiruvananthapuram. The Park came into existence on 31 March 1991.While acting as the Special Advisor, Nambiar set up a private company in Bangalore, Namtech Electronic Devices Limited, for the manufacture of Fail Safe Gas Discharge Tubes used as Surge Arresters in Electronic and Telecommunication equipment. Namtech is also involved in the manufacture of quartz crystals, crystal oscillators, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and LED Displays.
In February 1995, Nambiar launched an INR 1500 crore project to generate 513 MW of Power under the name of Kannur Power Projects (P) Limited in his native Panchayat of Kalliasseri in Kannur District in North Kerala. However, the project ran into political and supply issues and had to be abandoned.
He was also instrumental in the launching of a joint venture company Bowthorpe Thermometrics India (P) Limited, with Bowthorpe of UK and Namtech Consultants (P) Limited to manufacture Thermisters (a temperature dependent Resistor) in 1996. Bowthorpe has since transferred its ownership to GE in October 2001. Since 2000, Nambiar has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and has remained bed-ridden in his home in Bangalore.
Accomplishments
Awards