T. P. Padmanabhan Nair

T. P. Padmanabhan Nair
T.P.P.Nair receiving the Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award
Personal information
Full name	Thekkumpadan Puthanveettil Padmanabhan Nair
Nickname	T. P. P. Nair
Nationality	Indian
Born	1935 (age 89–90) Cherukunnu, Kannur, Kerala, India
Hometown	Kannur, Kerala, India
National team
India
Honours Representing  India Asian Games 1962 Asian Games Team 1958 Asian Games Team

T. P. Padmanabhan Nair also known as T. P. P. Nair was a volleyball player, former captain and coach of Indian National Volleyball Team. He was the first Malayali to become the captain of the national volleyball team.[1] In 2015, he received Dhyan Chand Award the highest sports award in the country.[1] He is the only Indian volleyball player to have won two Asian Games medals.[2]

Biography

Thekkumpadan Puthanveettil Padmanabhan Nair was born in Cherukunnu village in Kannur district of Kerala. After studying in Cherukunnu High School, he joined Indian Air Force in 1951.[3] Vazhkulam Joseph, a former Air Force team captain and a member of the Indian team, made him a volleyball player.[3] Later he joined in Services team and was selected to National team.[3][1][4]

He joined Indian Railways in 1960 and retired in 1992 as a Senior Technical Assistant.[4] After retirement, he lives in Mumbai with his son Pradeep.[3]

He was the Railway Team Coach from 1966 to 1987, the Maharashtra Men's Team Coach in 1966, and the Manager until 1992, the Liaison Officer at the Delhi Asiad in 1982 and the Railways Women's Team Coach.[5]

Awards and honors

• 2015: Dhyan Chand Award[1]
• 2022 :Road named as T.P.Padmanabhan Nair Marg (formerly called Jangid Complex Rd) at Mira Road East on 2nd Oct 2022 by Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation[6]
• 2022 :Road named as T.P.Padmanaban Nair Road at his hometown Kannapuram, Kannur on 27 Jan 2022 by Kannapuram Panchayat [7]

Family

His wife Meenakshi is from Pallavur, Palakkad.[3] They have two children.[3]

References

1. "Dhyan Chand Award for T P Padmanabhan Nair". Mathrubhumi. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
2. Luthra, Chander Shekhar (18 August 2015). "Volleyball great TP Padmanabhan Nair finally gets Dhyan Chand Award". DNA India. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
3. "ചരിത്രത്തിലുണ്ട് ആ സ്മാഷുകൾ". Deshabhimani Daily (in Malayalam). 10 July 2021. p. 10.
4. "ടി പി പി നായര്‍: ചെറുകുന്നിന്റെ വലിയ താരം". Deshabhimani (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
5. "വോളിബോള്‍ താരം ടി പി പദ്മനാഭന്‍ നായര്‍ക്ക് ധ്യാന്‍ചന്ദ് പുരസ്കാരം". Deshabhimani (in Malayalam). Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
6. "Times of India"
7. "Manorama"