Colonel Neelakantan Jayachandran Nair, AC, KC (popularly known as "NJ") was a highly decorated officer of the Indian Army.

[8] His career in the Indian Army spanned over two decades, during which he had held varied command as well as staff appointments.

In 1983, in Mizoram, Nair engaged the insurgents in Close-quarters combat for which he was awarded the Kirti Chakra in recognition of his exceptional gallantry.

The overwhelming fire from automatic weapons killed one junior commissioned officer and 13 jawans on the spot.

mindful of his serious injury, he organised his jawans in an assault line and charged at the insurgents when they broke ranks and fled.