T P Gopalan Nambiar, pioneer of Indian electronics industry

KOCHI: T P Gopalan Nambiar, fondly known as TPG and regarded as a visionary in India’s electronics manufacturing sector, passed away yesterday. A Malayali industrialist and pioneer, TPG was instrumental in transforming India’s electronics industry and was the first Indian to harness the expertise and experience gained from expatriate life to fuel the nation’s industrial growth.

TPG’s journey began with his acquisition of the British Physical Laboratory, which marked the start of a venture that evolved into BPL India in 1963. Backed by his Post Graduate Diploma in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, TPG set up a manufacturing unit in Palakkad to produce precision meter panels for India’s defense sector. Over time, BPL expanded into various segments, including ECGs, patient monitoring systems, electronic stencil scanners and critical components for flat-square tube televisions and colour TVs.

During the eighties and nineties, BPL became one of India’s most popular brands in televisions and VCRs. The introduction of colour television ahead of the 1982 Asian Games presented an opportunity that BPL seized, leading to exponential growth. TPG's vision included collaborations with international technology giants such as Japan’s Toshiba and Sanyo, Germany’s Siemens and US-based US West, further solidifying BPL’s prominence.

However, BPL’s fortunes dwindled during the liberalization era. The rise of foreign brands, coupled with mismanagement of finances, overinvestment in marketing and lack of working capital, led to a slow decline. Internal family disputes regarding rights added further complications, leaving BPL a shadow of the brand it once was, despite its immense potential.