Ram Pathiyal

Born on April 23, 1938, in Chittlancherry, Kerala, to P. Balakrishnan Nair and Madhavikutty Amma, Mani was the third of six siblings. As a young man, he loved playing sports and would frequently regale others with stories of his prowess as a soccer goalie.

Mani attended TKM College of Engineering, graduating in 1964 with a degree in mechanical engineering. After graduation, he held engineering jobs in Kolkata and Chennai. Fiercely independent and entrepreneurial, Mani was always looking to blaze new trails. When he saw a bulletin advertising opportunities for engineers to immigrate to the United Kingdom, he convinced several friends to apply. Many months later, they learned that the program was full, but that they could go to Canada instead. While his friends had lost their enthusiasm, Mani eagerly packed his few belongings and made his way to the Great White North.

Mani arrived in Toronto in 1968, becoming the first in his family to leave India. He came alone, with little money and no job lined up. He eventually put his charm and outgoing personality to work as a salesman for DYMO Business Systems. Even as his career progressed, however, he remained determined to have his own business and be his own boss.

In 1971, Mani married Nalini Menon. Their early years in Toronto were challenging as he built his career and she completed her medical training, but together they persevered and eventually prospered. Along the way, they formed lifelong friendships with other local Malayalees and helped build the Toronto Malayalee Samajam, which remains a major cultural institution in the Greater Toronto Area today.

In 1985, Mani and Nalini packed a truck and moved to West Hartford, Connecticut, where they would establish deep roots. Mani finally fulfilled his dream of owning a business, founding Flexo Labels, which supplied pressure-sensitive adhesive labels to insurance companies in Hartford and Indian grocery distributors in Jackson Heights, New York, and Edison, New Jersey.

Once again, Mani and Nalini became deeply involved in the local Malayalee community. Their weekends were filled with joyous parties and gatherings, and they were active members of the Kerala Association of Connecticut. Mani also rediscovered his love of soccer, first coaching in the West Hartford youth soccer league and later serving as its commissioner. He developed an equally passionate interest in gardening and yard work and could often be found mowing the lawn on a beautiful day, whether the grass needed cutting or not.

In 2011, after retiring, Mani and Nalini moved to Bear, Delaware, to be closer to their grandchildren. As they had everywhere they lived, they built lasting friendships through the local Malayalee community and Hindu temple, where they were warmly welcomed and beloved.

Throughout his life, Mani took immense joy in watching his extended family of siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins flourish across North America. He was especially fond of playing a fatherly role in the lives of his many nieces and nephews, offering advice, encouragement, and guidance, whether solicited or not. Each year, he eagerly anticipated the annual family reunion, when dozens of relatives would gather for a weekend of reconnecting, games, laughter, and simply enjoying one another's company. Even in his final days, Mani continued to remind loved ones of the need to plan the next “family get-together.”

Mani will be dearly missed by his wife, Nalini; sons, Atul (“Cheeku”) and Sanjay; daughter-in-law, Viji Rangaswami; grandsons, Arjun, Ashwin, and Aditya; sisters, Devi Nair and Raji Menon; brother, Radhakrishnan Nair; and countless cousins, nieces, nephews, and their loving families.

Services will be held on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. ET at Joseph Gawler’s Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016.