Paul Pothen | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1916-01-08)8 January 1916 India |
| Died | 3 August 2004(2004-08-03) (aged 88) Kochi, Kerala, India |
| Occupation | Industrialist |
| Known for | founding FACT and IFFCO |
| Awards | Padma Shri |
Paul Pothen (1916-2004) was an Indian industrialist and one of the pioneers of fertilizer industry in India.[1] He was the founding managing director of three large scale fertilizer manufacturing firms in India.[1]
Pothen was born in aMallapally-based[2] Christian family on 8 January 1916 atNedumangad, in theThiruvananthapuram district and graduated from theUniversity of Madras in 1935, after which he secured his graduation in civil engineering from theUniversity of Mysore in 1940.[1] He continued his studies to get higher training in electrical engineering at theIndian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (formerly Rourkee University) and did an advanced course in Canada under the aegis ofColombo Plan in 1965-66.[1]
Pothen started his career by joining theFertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Limited (FACT) in a senior management position in 1944 where he stayed until 1965 when he was made the founding managing director ofFACT Engineering and Design Organisation (FEDO) in 1965.[1] Three years later, when theIndian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO) was established in 1968, Pothen was made the founding managing director.[1] He continued at IFFCO till 1981 and moved toKrishak Bharati Cooperative (KRIBHCO) as the organization's founding managing director.[1] He headed the Fertilizer Association of India for several years and was also associated with theTravancore Cochin Chemicals[1] and Fact Technical Society.[3]
TheGovernment of India awarded the fourth highest Indian civilian honour ofPadma Shri in 1977.[4] He died on 3 August 2004 at the age of 88, succumbing to old age illnesses atAmrita Hospital in Kochi.[1] TheIndian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative named one of their townships as Paul Pothen Nagar, in honour of their former managing director.[5]
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