He was the first Malayali to become the captain of the national volleyball team.

[1] He is the only Indian volleyball player to have won two Asian Games medals.

[2] Thekkumpadan Puthanveettil Padmanabhan Nair was born in Cherukunnu village in Kannur district of Kerala.

After studying in Cherukunnu High School, he joined Indian Air Force in 1951.

[3][1][4] He joined Indian Railways in 1960 and retired in 1992 as a Senior Technical Assistant.