“The heights by great men reached and kept/Were not attained by sudden flight/But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s immortal lines capture the captivating life of Captain C P Krishnan Nair. A near centurion (he breathed his last at the age of 92), Capt Nair played an unblemished innings, to use cricketing terminology. He achieved greatness by his sheer dint of perseverance, patience and puissance. Success wasn’t offered to him on a platter. He earned it. There’s a corporate saying, particularly in the hospitality industry, that a man for all occasions generally succeeds as a hotelier. So very true. The ebullient Capt Nair went on to establish Leela Hotels, named after his wife, guide and soulmate when he was in his 60s! No geriatric stereotypes and barriers could thwart his ambition. Capt Nair wore many hats and was a versatile genius who had an ability to see potential in many things. Gallant, gregarious, gracious and gritty, Capt Nair never rested on his laurels and complacency didn’t figure in his lexicon of life. He lived life to the hilt and his Midas touch helped him achieve success in whichever field and role in life he chose. The seasoned writer and biographer Bachi Karkaria did full justice to her subject and brought out all facets of this extraordinary man’s scintillating life. Kudos to her for bringing out a gem of a biography, which inspires the readers and eggs them on to emulate the man.