TP Gopalan Nambiar, founder of BPL Group, passes away at the age of 94

TP Gopalan Nambiar, the founder of BPL Group, passed away at the age of 94 on Thursday. He died at his Bengaluru residence around 10.15 am. Popularly known as TPG, he was the father-in-law of BJP leader and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He was not keeping well for quite some time.

 

Confirming the news, Chandrashekhar said on X (formerly Twitter): “It is with great sadness that I inform you all about the passing away of my father-in-law TPG Nambiar, Chairman BPL Group. Om Shanti. He was a true visionary and built one of India's most trusted consumer brands that remains popular to this day. I am pausing my Election campaign work and returning to Bengaluru to be with my family.”

Mourning his demise, former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said, “Saddened by the passing of Shri TPG Nambiar, founder of the iconic BPL brand, who has been a close acquaintance for a long time. Shri Nambiar’s enormous contributions and legacy will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.”

 

At its peak, BPL was a major player in the consumer electronics industry, engaging in various fields such as batteries, telephone equipment, packaging, electronic devices, and medical equipment. The group had a diverse portfolio and was influential in multiple markets. When liberalisation took hold and multinational TV companies entered the Indian market, BPL was seen as having the best chance of success. The company invested significantly in brand promotion and at one point held a market share of over 15 per cent in the television sector.

 

However, family disputes and misplaced priorities ultimately stalled BPL’s success. The company’s efforts to diversify into unrelated sectors, combined with poor financial discipline and competition from South Korean companies like LG and Samsung, were cited as reasons for its decline.