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Exhibit 31.1

                      CERTIFICATION AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Bharatan R. Patel, certify that:

     1.  I have reviewed the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Aavid Thermal
         Technologies, Inc.

     2.  Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
         statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary
         to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which
         such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
         covered by this annual report;

     3.  Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this annual report, fairly present in all
         material respects the financial condition, results of operation and
         cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
         this annual report;

     4.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
         establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
         defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and
         have:

             a.)  designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
                  that material information relating to the registrant,
                  including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us
                  by others within those entities, particularly during the
                  period in which this annual report is prepared;

             b.)  evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                  controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
                  the filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date");
                  and

             c.)  presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
                  effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
                  on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

     5.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
         on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the
         audit committee of the registrant's Board of Directors (or persons
         performing equivalent functions):

             a.)  all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
                  internal controls which could adversely affect the
                  registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and report
                  financial data and have identified for the registrant's
                  auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

             b.)  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                  or other employees who have a significant role in the
                  registrant's internal controls; and

     6.  The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
         annual report whether there were significant changes in internal
         controls or other factors that could significantly affect internal
         controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation,
         including any corrective actions with regard to significant
         deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Dated: March 29, 2004                             /s/ Bharatan R. Patel
                                                  ------------------------------
                                                  Bharatan R. Patel
                                                  Chairman, President
                                                  and Chief Executive Officer

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