J. Hareendran Nair

J. Hareendran Nair is an Indian Ayurveda physician and entrepreneur from Kerala. He is the founder of Pankajakasthuri group of enterprises, a business group which has contributed in promoting and popularising Ayurveda and ayurvedic products across the country. The Government of India, in 2012, honoured him with Padma Shri for his services to the cause of Ayurveda.

Hareendran Nair was born in a family with frugal means, at Kattakkada, Thiruvananthapuram, in Kerala to Janardhanan Nair, a document writer and Pankajam, as the youngest of their three children. After early education at the Government Upper Primary School, Kandala and the Christian College, Kattakada, he joined the Government Ayurveda College, Thiruvananthapuram from where he graduated in ayurvedic medicine with a BAMS in 1983.

His medical career started as a research fellow at Poojappura Regional Research Institute but he submitted his resignation from the service when he was transferred to the central Kerala town of Shornur in 1986. Nair spent the next two years in the formation of Sree Dhanwanthari Ayurvedics, the forerunner of Pankajakasthuri Herbals India Ltd [PHIL], which came into stream in 1988 at Poovachal. The early days were difficult which changed in 1996 when Nair launched ayurvedic over-the-counter products under the brand name Pankajakasturi, a name coined combining his mother's name, Pankajam, and his eldest daughter's name, Kasturi.

Hareendran Nair is married to Asha who is involved in the business at administrative levels and the couple has two daughters, both studying ayurvedic medicine. The family lives in Thiruvananthapuram.

Hareendran Nair found Pankajakasturi in 1986, under the name Sree Dhanwanthari Ayurvedics at Poovachal, in Thiruanathapuram. In 1996, the brand Pankajakasturi was launched and the company's name was changed to Pankajakasturi Herbals Pvt Ltd. Over the years, the establishment has grown to cover the parent company dealing in over-the-counter ayurvedic products, Pankajakasthuri Panchakarama spas, Pankajakasthuri Jeevanam clinics and

an Ayurveda Hospital, Herbal garden and Pankajakasturi Ayurveda Medical College, in Killi near Kattakkada, opened on 28 August 2002, which is stated to be the first self financed ayurveda medical college in the country.

Hareendran Nair is also active in social service. He has arranged for 1000 free lunch everyday through his Ayurveda medical college. He also sponsors the educational expenses of 125 students and provides free in-patient medical treatment to 50 patients, including medicines. His group also conducts free medical camps every month in Thiruvananthapuram. "My only agenda," said Nair, "is the popularisation of Ayurveda as an effective and economic mode of treatment among people."

Nair holds various positions at regional and national levels.

• managing director, Pankajakasthruri Herbals India Pvt. Ltd
• managing director, Pankajakasthuri Ayurveda Medical College
• managing director, Pankajakasthuri Engineering College
• Chief Executive Pankajakasthuri Panchakarma Centres
• Founder and Secretary of Pankajakasthuri Herbal Research Foundation
• Advisor on Ayurveda to the Government of Nagaland
• Member of the Regional Advisory Committee for the Organized and service tax sector in the central Excise & Customs, Thiruvananthapuram
• Member of the Medicinal Plant Board, Kerala State
• Founder Director of the Care Keralam, a cluster company in the Ayurveda sector meant to promote Kerala brand ayurvedic products
• Patron of Chinmaya Mission, Thiruvananthapuram

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• "Care Keralam". Retrieved 27 July 2014. 

• Padma Shri – 2012
• Management Leadership Award – Trivandrum Management Association
• Sai Maa Award(international) for Ayurvedic Propagation
• Best Entrepreneur Award, Industries Department – Government of Kerala
• Yuvaprathibha Award – Ayurvedic Medical Officers Association
• Ayurvedaratna Award
• Entrepreneur of the Year Award – Berchmans Institute of Management Studies

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