The extraordinary life of India’s top hotelier recorded for his birth centenary Captain C.P. Krishnan Nair was a true bon vivant.He wore flamboyant linen suits, drove a Rolls-Royce, consorted with kings and dined at the finest restaurants in the world. He had certainly come a long way from his humble origins in Kannur, Kerala. As the acclaimed writer Bachi Karkaria shows in this honest, entertaining and deeply researched biography, his successes were hard won.His army career drew him into the ambit of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. Post his army days the Captain established a roaring textile empire, becoming the biggest Indian exporter of ready-to-wear to the US. But laurels were an itchy wreath for the daring Captain.He went on to establish the Leela Hotels, named after his wife, guide and soulmate, when he was in his sixties.Captain Nair always demanded the best for his guests. He refused to give up when even most of his hotel projects got mired in seemingly insurmountable problems. An unsung hero, Captain Nair’s is the story of aspiration,passion, determination and making it big in modern India.
