Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu - Inventions & Later Life

Inventions & Later Life

G.D. Naidu developed India's first indigenous motor in 1937 along with D. Balasundaram. It was the motor's success that resulted in the founding of Textool by Balasundaram and, later on, Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW).

Naidu's 'Rasant' razor incorporated a small motor operated by dry cells, was made at a factory in the German town called Heilbronn. Among his other inventions were super-thin shaving blades, a distance adjuster for film cameras, a fruit juice extractor, a tamper-proof vote-recording machine and 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 (costing a mere Rs 2,000/-) rolled out. But production was stopped subsequently, because of the Government's refusal to grant the necessary license. His inventiveness was not confined to machinery alone. He researched and identified new varieties in Cotton, Maize and Papaya. His farm was visited by Sir C. V. Raman and Visvesvaraya. From laying foundation to completion he has built house in just 8 hours.

In 1935, he personally filmed the funeral of King George V at London. In 1936, he met Adolf Hitler in Germany. He invited K. Kamaraj in many functions. Among the Indian stalwarts that Naidu's camera captured were Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru and Subash Chandra Bose. Naidu remained an outsider to politics, despite having contested and lost in the 1936 Provincial General Elections. He was gifted Rolls Royce car and he was the only one who had at those times.

In 1944, Naidu retired from active involvement with his automobile combine and announced several philanthropic measures including grants for research scholarships and welfare schemes for his employees and the depressed sections of society. Through Naidu's efforts and donations the Arthur Hope Polytechnic and the Arthur Hope College of Engineering were set up. In 1967, the G D Naidu Industrial Exhibition was established.

G.D. Naidu, Rathnasabapathy Mudaliar and India's first finance minister R. K. Shanmukham Chetty conducted survey, for bringing Siruvani water to the Coimbatore city.

India's first Polytechnic college was build in Coimbatore by GD Naidu in the name of Hope College and later the college moved to another place now it is called as Government College of Technology, the college was name after the then Madras governor Arthur Hope. In 1945, GD Naidu was the principal for the college, when it is started he was not satisfied with 4 years course because he said it is waste of time for students one year enough to teach those courses to students but British government didn't accept his idea and thus GD Naidu resigned his post. The name Hope College for a place remains same in Coimbatore even now.

He died on 4 January 1974. Sir C V Raman said of Naidu: "A great educator, an entrepreneur in many fields of engineering and industry, a warm-hearted man filled with love for his fellows and a desire to help them in their troubles, Mr Naidu is truly a man in a million - perhaps this is an understatement!"

An Industrial Exhibition is held in Coimbatore, in his name. He started the first Engineering college at Coimbatore (now known as Government College of Technology). He provided employment in the engineering and manufacturing sectors to many individuals in the 1950s and 1960s.

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