| 1. G. D. Naidu, an Indian inventor and businessman, was a self-taught engineer. |
| 2. He hailed from a family of farmers in Kalangal village, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. |
| 3. Leaving school in 3rd standard, he began his career at a ginning mill. |
| 4. His fascination with machines and automobiles started at the age of 16. |
| 5. Starting as a mechanic, he ventured into his transport business in 1920, establishing Universal Motor Service (UMS). |
| 6. UMS boasted India's initial bus junction. |
| 7. Naidu created over 90 gadgets, pioneering in electrical, mechanical, agricultural, and automobile engineering. |
| 8. He notably invented the ball pen, ball pen refills, and carbon paper among other innovations. |
| 9. Apart from engineering, he pursued photography and captured images of renowned personalities. |
| 10. His agricultural efforts included introducing new crop varieties. |
| 11. Engaged in philanthropy, he supported his employees and the underprivileged. |
| 12. Naidu set up Coimbatore's first polytechnic institute and engineering college. |
| 13. He is credited with inventing the world's first electric razor - the Rasant razor. |
| 14. His contributions earned him various awards and accolades. |
| 15. The Gedee Car Museum displays his assortment of vintage cars. |
| 16. Numerous awards and educational bodies pay tribute to his legacy. |
| 17. A biographical film about his life, featuring R. Madhavan, is in the works. |
| 18. In 1937, he manufactured India's first electric motor at his National Electric Works (NEW) factory in Peelamedu, Coimbatore, in collaboration with D. Balasundaram Naidu. |
| 19. He developed an independently internal combustion four-stroke engine. |
| 20. His work laid the foundation for companies like Textool and Lakshmi Machine Works (LMW). |
| 21. He worked on hybrid cultivation and researched new crop varieties such as cotton, maize, and papaya on his farm at Podhanur, visited by Sir C. V. Raman and Sir M. Visvesvaraya. |
| 22. He invented a tamper-proof vote-recording machine, a distance adjuster for film cameras, a fruit juice extractor, and a kerosene-run fan. |
| 23. In 1944, he retired from active involvement with his automobile combine and announced philanthropic measures including research scholarships and welfare schemes for employees and underprivileged sections of society. |
| 24. He made significant contributions to making industrial development and infrastructure affordable for people of lower economic strata in Coimbatore. |
