Class 3 dropout to India’s ‘Edison’: How G.D. Naidu became a pioneering inventor

From school dropout to self-taught engineer 

Naidu’s education came largely through observation and experimentation. Fascinated by machines, he reportedly spent years studying how mechanical devices worked and learning by taking them apart and putting them back together.

A motorcycle he encountered as a young man became an important part of that journey. After saving enough money to buy one, Naidu dismantled it repeatedly to understand its mechanism.

That hands-on approach would become the foundation of his career.

From one bus to a transport business 

Naidu entered the transport business in 1920 after purchasing an automobile coach and starting a passenger service between Pollachi and Palani.

The venture eventually grew into Universal Motor Service (UMS), which became a major transport operation in southern India.

But Naidu’s ambitions went well beyond running buses. He wanted to understand and develop the technology behind the machines he used.

The indigenous electric motor 

One of his most notable achievements came in electrical engineering. In 1937, Naidu, along with D Balasundaram Naidu, developed an indigenous electric motor. The achievement was particularly significant in an era when India relied heavily on imported machinery and electrical equipment.

The motor reflected Naidu’s broader belief that India needed to develop its own technological capabilities rather than remain dependent on foreign products.

An inventor across multiple fields 

Naidu did not restrict himself to a single branch of engineering. His experiments covered automobiles, electrical equipment, photography, agriculture and consumer devices.

Among the inventions and innovations associated with him were an electric razor, fruit juice extractor, kerosene-powered fan, mechanical calculator and a voting-related machine.

In 1952, he also unveiled a prototype two-seater petrol-engine car, demonstrating his interest in developing indigenous automobiles.

His work was driven by a practical philosophy: technology should address everyday problems and, wherever possible, be affordable and accessible.

Building more than machines 

Naidu’s contribution extended beyond his inventions. He played a role in developing Coimbatore’s industrial ecosystem and promoted technical education and practical training.

Over the course of his career, he was associated with more than 100 inventions and received the Padma Bhushan in 1970.

He died in Coimbatore in 1974 at the age of 80.

Decades later, Naidu’s story continues to stand out not simply because he invented machines, but because of how he learnt to build them. With little formal schooling, he turned curiosity into an education, experimentation into engineering and a fascination with machines into a lifelong pursuit of indigenous technology.