G D Naidu – Edison Of India

G D Naidu’s Early Life

G D Naidu as Gopalaswamy Doraiswamy Naidu was an innovative Indian Inventor and Engineer. The great man is also referred to as the “Edison of India”. He is rewarded with the manufacture of the first electric motor in India.

G.D.Naidu – Tamilnadu

His contributions were primarily Industry based but also span his life in the fields of core sciences such electrical, mechanical, agricultural and automobile Engineering.

He had only primary Education but excelled as a versatile genius in credit to his master brain. Among his hobbies was Train Travel to near by cities and he use to think deep while his train journey.

Naidu was born on March 23, 1893, in Kalangal, near Coimbatore. He began his capatial Transport business in 1920, with the purchase of an automobile coach. He drove it between Pollachi and Palani usually.

UMS Factory

In a few years, his United Motor Service ( UMS ) owned the most efficient fleet of public transport vehicles in the country. In 1937, the first motor to be produced in India was brought out from G D Naidu’s owned UMS factory.

G.D. Naidu invented an electric razor which have created revolutions and that gave users more shaves than the other existing options in the international market.This made him a remembrance to his inventions.

His Inventions

• Super thin shaving blades
• A Distance adjuster for film cameras
• A fruit juice extractor
• A tamper
• Proof vote
• Recording machine
• A kerosene run fan
• In 1941, he announced that he had the ability to manufacture five – valve Radio sets in India at a mere Rs. 70/- a set. In 1952, the two –
• seater petrol engine car rolled out.

But production was stopped subsequently, because of the Government’s refusal to grant the necessary license. Every inventions from him has been released under multiple testing.

Botanical Revolution

His inventiveness was not confined to machinery alone. He is said to have grown ten feet high Cotton plants, millet plants with high yields of production and several medical injections for plants that made possible what Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman called “Botanic Marvels”.

In 1935, he personally filmed the funeral of King George V at London. In 1936, he had a chance to meet Adolf Hitler in Germany. Out of the Indian stalwarts that G. D. Naidu’s camera captured were Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose.

G. D. Naidu remained an outsider to Politics, despite having contested and lost in the 1936 Provincial General Elections. He was gifted with Rolls Royce car – king of all cars and he was the only one who had at those times of world.

In 1944, Naidu have retired from active involvement with his automobile combine and announced many philanthropic measures including grants for research scholarships and welfare schemes for his employees and the depressed sections of society where they needs help.

Towards Education

Through Naidu’s efforts and donations the Arthur Hope Polytechnic and the Arthur Hope College of Engineering were set up. In 1967, the GD Naidu Industrial Exhibition was established.

G. D. Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore is named after him. It is managed and run by his daughter-in-law Mrs. Chandra Gopal. His grandson Mr. G.D. Rajkumar is currently runs the Geedee industries. There is also a great driving school by his name, in Coimbatore.

He died on the 4th of January, 1974.