ELECTRIC PAST OF INDIA

Science and technology in Ancient India: Who is the father of Electricity?



It is generally accepted that Michael Faraday (1791-1867) a British scientist - is the Father of Electricity. It was in 1831 that 'electricity' became actually viable for use in technology when Michael Faraday created the electric dynamo (a crude power generator), which solved the problem of generating electric current in an ongoing and practical way. Faraday’s rather crude (by today's standards) invention used a magnet that was moved inside a coil of copper wire, creating a tiny electric current that flowed through the wire. 

But 'electricity' was already discovered hundreds of years back, though not named as such -  in 600 BC by Thales, a Greek philosopher. This was recorded by none other than Aristotle himself. Thales experimented with  lodestone and amber (resin), and found, when rubbed together,  it attracts other materials. (what we know as static) It is very interesting that Elektron in Greek means 'Amber'.

Based on this, in the year 1600, English physician William Gilbert used the Latin word “electricus” to describe the force that certain substances exert when rubbed against each other. A few years later another English scientist, Thomas Browne, wrote several books and he used the word “electricity” to describe his investigations based on Gilbert’s work. William Gilbert published his treatise 'On the Magnet'. The book explained Gilbert’s extensive research and experiments on electricity and magnetism. The book contained almost everything known so far about electricity. 

The discovery of electromagnetic induction and the invention of dynamo was the main reason for crowning Faraday as the Father of electricity.

In 1752, Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of U.S.A. conducted his experiment with a kite, a key, and a storm. This simply proved that lightning and tiny electric sparks were the same thing.

Italian physicist Alessandro Volta discovered that particular chemical reactions could also produce electricity, and in 1800 he constructed the voltaic pile (an early battery) that produced a steady electric current, and so he was the first person to create a steady flow of electrical charge. Volta also created the first transmission of electricity by linking positively-charged and negatively-charged connectors and driving an electrical charge, or voltage, through them. Later different cells were invented for convenient use and increased portability. But the cost of these electro-chemical cells remained high and could not be used extensively to meet our day to day needs. 

Later in the period 1893 onwards till 1943, a Serbia born American engineer, inventor, and all around electrical wizard by the name of  Nikola Tesla became an important contributor to the birth of commercial electricity. He worked with Edison and later had many revolutionary developments in electromagnetism, and had competing patents with Marconi for the invention of radio. He is well known for his work with alternating current (AC), AC motors, and the polyphase distribution system. Today, Tesla's electric car is creating waves in the automobile field.

Later, American inventor and industrialist George Westinghouse purchased and developed Tesla-patented motors for generating alternating current, and the work of Westinghouse, Tesla and others gradually convinced American society that the future of electricity lay with AC rather than DC.

Others who worked to bring the use of electricity to where it is today include Scottish inventor James Watt, Andre Ampere, a French mathematician, and German mathematician and physicist George Ohm all of whom are very well known in the electrical field.

And so, as far as the 'discovery' of electricity is concerned, we cannot credit any one person with it. While the concept of electricity was known for thousands of years, when it came time to develop it commercially and scientifically, there were several great minds working on the problem at the same time. However,the discovery of electromagnetic induction and the invention of dynamo viable for use in technology, was the reason for crowning Michael Faraday as the Father of electricity.

Left to myself, I would crown NIKOLA TESLA as the father of electricity! but !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

An ancient indian text agasthya samhita describes the manufacturing of electrical batteries as follows:

Place a well-cleaned copper plate in an earthenware vessel. Cover it first by copper sulfate and then moist sawdust. After that put a mercury-amalgamated-zinc sheet on top of an energy known by the twin name of Mitra-Varuna. Water will be split by this current into Pranavayu and Udanavayu. A chain of one hundred jars is said to give a very active and effective force.

By the way, mitra is cathode and varuna is what we call anode today, Pranavayu is oxygen and udanavayu is hydrogen.

The actual Sanskrit text from the book Agastya Samhita goes as follows

Sansthapya Mrinmaya Patre Tamrapatram Susanskritam
Chhadyechhikhigriven Chardrarbhih Kashthpamsubhih
Dastaloshto Nidhatavyah Pardachhaditastah
Sanyogajjayte Tejo Mitravarunsangyitam

Anen Jalbhangosti Prano Daneshu Vayushu
Evam Shatanam Kumbhanamsanyogkaryakritsmrita

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