PIPLANTRI IN RAJASTHAN

It's a woman's village!

     A few years ago, people in the arid village of Piplantri in Rajasthan didn’t welcome the birth of girls. A girl child was considered a burden since her parents had to bear the cost of her wedding and her safety always worried them. 

     All this changed in 2006 when the then sarpanch of Piplantri, Shyam Sundar Paliwal, lost his 17-year-old daughter Kiran to dehydration. To channel his grief, he planted trees in her memory and nurtured them. He then decided to make Piplantri change its attitude towards women and began a campaign to plant 111 trees for the birth of every girl child in the village. (The number 111 is considered auspicious by some. Besides, 1+1+1 symbolises the three main stakeholders of the campaign—the girl child, her mother and her father.) 

     The campaign has been a phenomenal success. After planting the saplings, the parents sign an affidavit stating they will educate their daughter and won’t marry her off before she turns 18. Also, for each girl, the villagers open a fixed deposit account with 31,000 that she can access when she becomes 18. The girls grow up treating the trees planted in their name as family members and tie a rakhi to them during the annual environmental festival conducted by the villagers. 

     So far, around 1,00,000 trees have been planted in the name of the girls and 25,000 more trees have been planted under other environmental initiatives. The trees range from mango and gooseberry to sandalwood, neem, peepal and bamboo. Over the years, the community also carried out water harvesting and restoration efforts. All this has positively impacted the ecological balance of Piplantri. The water table has greatly improved and birds and animals which had nearly disappeared have returned in larger numbers.

     Piplantri’s green efforts have also generated income for the residents. They have set up women’s co-operatives that create food items, juices, gels, etc. from aloe vera, to sell in the village. They now plan to create products from gooseberries, bamboo and honey. 

     With its unique tree planting campaign, Piplantri addresses three major social issues—gender equality, environmentalism and employment generation. It is a solution that can be replicated anywhere in the world. 

TEACHING STORY

 Kindness Transforms

 

    Once, the river became very proud of the tremendous flow of its water. She felt that she was powerful and could wash away everything with her --- mountains, houses, trees, animals, humans etc.

     One day, the river proudly asked the ocean, "Tell me, what should I bring for you? Houses, animals, humans, trees? Whatever you want, I can uproot and bring with me."

     The ocean said after a pause, "If you want to bring something for me, uproot some grass and bring it."

     The river replied,"Is that all? I'll bring it right away."

     While passing through the field,  the river exerted its full force on the grass, but the grass did not get uprooted. She tried several times but failed. Eventually, the river gave up and told the ocean, "I can uproot trees, houses and mountains, but whenever I apply force to uproot the grass, it bends and I have to pass over it, empty-handed." 

     The ocean listened carefully to the river and said with a smile, "Those who are hard and rigid like mountains and trees, are easily uprooted. But the one who has learned the humility of grass, cannot be disturbed even by the fiercest of winds or violent storms."

     Happiness in life does not mean fighting battles but avoiding them. To retreat skilfully is also a victory in itself because arrogance turns even angels into devils.

ENERGY OBTAINED FROM PLANTS AND ANIMALS

 Biomass energy

Introduction: The world is constantly developing. However, with development come a few dire side effects too. One of them is the consumption of non-renewable energy. Non-renewable energy is the energy we will eventually run out of. In addition to this issue, most non-renewable energy forms have harmful consequences on the environment. Therefore it is imperative to find other forms of renewable energy, which will not run out or harm the environment. One such energy is biomass energy.

Biomass is plant and animal based material that can be used as fuel to produce heat or electricity, which is called biofuel. This includes crops, manure, wood and even garbage. Biomass is one of the frontrunners in the renewable energy space and with technology developing rapidly; it could pave way to a greener planet.

The history of biomass energy: Biomass energy has been in use ever since humans discovered fire; they burnt wood, which is derived from nature, for fuel. Over time, advanced forms of biofuel began to emerge, such as ethanol. In the 1800s and during the industrial revolution, ethanol was used as lamp fuel. In the 1900s, cars ran on ethanol. In the last few years, scientists have started to experiment and use biofuels as an excellent alternative fuels like gasoline.

How is biofuel generated?

1) Burning: There are several ways to get energy from biomass. The simplest way is to burn it. Garbage and wood can be burnt to generate steam and electricity. Power plants that burn biomass are called waste-to-energy plants. Sometimes, fast-growing crops like sugarcane are grown primarily for their energy value. Scientists are also researching ways to grow aquatic plants like seaweed and algae for their energy value.

2) Bacterial decay: The second method is called bacterial decay. Bacteria feed on dead plants and animals. As these animals and plants decay, they produce a colourless smelly gas called methane. Methane is extremely rich in energy. It is also the main ingredient in natural gas. Methane can be burnt to generate heat and electricity. In some landfills, wells are drilled into piles of garbage to capture methane produced from the decaying waste. This methane gas can be purified and used as energy as, just like natural gas.

3) Fermentation: The third way is fermentation. Yeast is added to biomass such that the chemical reaction that occurs transforms biomass into ethanol. Ethanol is sometimes made from corn too and this ethanol is used to make motor fuel.

4) Conversion: The fourth method is conversion where heat or chemicals are added to the biomass to change it to gas and liquid fuels.

Applications of biomass:

Biomass can be used for the smallest to the most significant operations. It can be used in homes for cooking or heating and can also be used in large power plants to produce electricity. In residential applications, biomass can be used for heating a space or for cooking. Wood is the most common fuel source. New designs for wood stoves improve the efficiency of the cooking or heating systems, decreasing the amount of fuel that is needed.

Many industrial facilities, such as lumber mills, naturally produce organic waste that can be used to produce energy. Industry and businesses use biomass for several purposes, including heating up spaces and water and electricity generation. In the future, plants may be grown to fuel power plants. Farmers may also have huge farms of energy crops to produce ethanol and other biofuels for transportation.

Advantages of biomass:

Biomass is a renewable resource, which means we will never run out of it. It is highly versatile and can be made from plethora of resources. Moreover, it is extremely readily available and not much infrastructure is needed to produce the raw resources.

Disadvantages of biomass:

While biomass is a renewable resource, biomass does have some drawbacks. When burnt, it causes air pollution; gases such as carbon dioxide and other harmful chemicals are released that pollute the air. Building plants that can utilise biomass can be expensive. If too many people start using crops as biomass, it could also cause deforestation. Moreover, growing plants requires large amounts of water, which could be put to better use since freshwater is also a struggling resource. So, though biomass fuels do offer a lot of versatility and could emerge as an extremely useful resource in the future, they may not be the answer to all our problems.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is Bungee jumping?

     Bungee jumping is a sport that involves jumping from a tall structure (such as building, bridge or crane) with an elastic cord, attached to the jump site, tied to one's feet. After a period of head-first free fall, the jumper is bounced partially back when the cord rebounds from its maximum stretch. The thrill comes from the free falling and the rebound.

     The origin of this daring activity can be traced to a 1500 year old annual ritual called 'land diving', practised by the Bunlap tribals of Pentecost Island in the Western Pacific, between Australia and Fiji. In this ritual, men jump off a 90 ft log tower with vines tied to their feet. A test of raw courage, this ritual is performed without safety nets. Legend attributes its origin to a Bunlap woman who climbed a banyan tree to escape from her cruel husband who was pursuing her. She jumped down and landed unhurt, as she had tied vines to her ankles to break the fall. Unaware of this, he followed in pursuit, only to fall to his death. 

     Bungee jumping as we know it today, started when four members of the Oxford University Sports Club jumped off a 250 ft suspension bridge in Bristol on April 1, 1979, inspired by a BBC documentary about the Bunlap land divers. They were arrested by the police, but their feat made headlines, and thus a new adventure sport was born. Interest in the sport quickly spread in the U.S.A. and New Zealand. It was first offered commercially to the public in the late 1980s by A. J. Hackett, a New Zealand entrepreneur who developed a super-stretching elastic cord and demonstrated its use by jumping off the Eiffel Tower. Hackett created numerous bungee jumping sites and became the world's first commercial bungee operator.

     Since then, millions of successful jumps have been performed, not just from from fixed structures such as bridges, towers and cranes but also from movable objects such as hot air balloons and helicopters.

     Over the years, bungee jumping has matured into an experience that provides thrill without too much serious task. 

FROM ENGLISH BOOK OF FAIRY TALES

 Titty and Tatty

     This tale belongs to a time out of memory when the butterflies slept among the wheat; when the elephants played on the flute; when the pigs flew; when the right-hand foot was squeezed into the left-hand shoe; when curly locks fed upon sugar and cream...

     Titty and Tatty were two little mice; and they were twins. These were more sisterly than their human counterparts anywhere in England. Except for a very minute red mole on Tatty's snout, the two little rodents were unmistakably identical.

     They lived in a cottage of their own. Their parents had left them a substantial income to last a lifetime. So they didn't have to go picking and stealing, gnawing and nibbling, in some human kitchen or scullery. Their granary was always full. Though they could afford luxury they led a frugal life as most of the English mice did, in summer and winter alike, in those days.

     It was their third birthday. Titty merrily squeaked to Tatty that she would make a special rice pudding to celebrate the occasion in style. So she put the pudding into the pot to boil. 

 

    Then Tatty scurried to the pantry, to get bread, butter and cheese. (No, those mousy sisters had no cellar. In fact, they never had a drop of wine in their entire life on earth. Though it was whispered in the mouse-world that some of their kind at times ventured to have a bristly lick of the beaded bubbles at the brim of a cup.)

     When Tatty returned to their common kitchen, a most tragic sight stunned her to standstill. For while she had been in the pantry, her sister had met with her fatal end. The boiling pot had tumbled over, and scalded poor Titty to a most painfully squealing death. 

     Tatty could do nothing but to sit down and mourn for the departed soul. (The mice in England then were all pitch black in colour. So they didn't have to put on black clothes for mourning.) 

     A three-legged stool in the kitchen asked the weeping sister: "Tatty, why do you weep?"

     "Titty's dead", said Tatty, "and so I weep."

     "Then", said the stool, "I'll jump." And the stool jumped. But it could raise only one of its legs; the other unwilling two stood dragging on the floor.

     A broom in the corner of the room asked the hopping stool: "Stool, why d'you jump?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; and so I jump."

     "Then I'll sweep". And the broom began to sweep the room.

     A door asked the sweeping broom: "Broom, why do you sweep?"

    "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; and the stool jumps, and so I sweep."

     " Then I'll jar." And the door jarred ever so harshly.

     A window asked the jarring door: "Door, why d'you jar?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; and the stool jumps, and the broom sweeps, and so I jar."

     "Then I'll creak". And the window creaked ever so gratingly.

     The old bench outside the house asked the creaking window: "Window, why d'you creak?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; and the stool jumps, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, and so I creak."

     "Then I'll run around the house." And the old bench ran round the house.

     The walnut-tree growing by the cottage asked the running bench: "Bench, why d'you run round the house?" 

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; and the stool jumps, and the broom sweeps, the door jars, the window creaks and so I run round the house."

     "Then I'll shed my leaves." And the walnut-tree shed all its lovely green leaves.

     The little bird that perched on a branch of the tree, asked the unleaving fruit-tree: "Walnut-tree, why d'you shed your goodly green leaves?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; the stool jumps, the broom sweeps, the door jars, the window creaks, the old bench runs round the house and so I shed my leaves."

     "Then I'll moult all my feathers." And the pretty little bird let all its fair feathers fall from its body, unto the very last of the fluffy downs, too. 

     A little girl was walking below, carrying a jug of milk for her people living next door. She asked the unfeathering bird, "Bird, why d'you moult all your feathers?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; the stool jumps, the broom sweeps, the door jars, the window creaks, the old bench runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its green leaves, and so I moult all my feathers."

     "Then I'll spill the milk." And the girl dropped the jug and spilt the milk.

     Now an old man had been hired by Titty and Tatty to re-thatch their cottage, to give it a new look. The man was standing on the top of the ladder, busy covering the roof with dried reeds and straw. He saw the girl drop the jug and spill the milk. He asked her, "Little girl, why do you spill the milk?"

     "Titty's dead, and Tatty weeps; the stool jumps, the broom sweeps, the door jars, the window creaks, the old bench runs round the house, the walnut-tree sheds its green leaves, the pretty little girl moults all its feathers, and so I spilt the milk."

     "Oh! Oh my!" exclaimed the old man. "My dearie little Titty gone! Then I'll tumble off the ladder and break my neck." And the kind old man tumbled off the ladder and broke his brittle neck.

     In no time, the walnut-tree toppled down with a frightful crash. It upset the course of the old bench, and shook the Titty-Tatty cottage out of its balance. The cottage tottered and fell down. It knocked the creaking window out. The window unhinged the poor door. The door disturbed the broom. The broom overturned the stool. But that was not quite the end of these disasters and calamities.

     The utmost pity was that poor little Tatty went down with her own house. And she was buried ingloriously beneath the ruins, not a squealing second allowed. Her sister's carrion lay close by, on the same floor...

     That's the twin end of Titty and Tatty.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTES

From A to Z

Every ACCOMPLISHMENT starts with the decision to try.

Being different is one of the most BEAUTIFUL things on earth.

CREATIVITY is intelligence having fun.

The surest way not to fail is to DETERMINE to succeed.

The EXPERT in everything was once a beginner.

The best way to predict the FUTURE is to create it.

You are never too old to set another GOAL or to dream a new dream.

There is no substitute for HARD WORK.

Logic will get you from A to Z; IMAGINATION will get you anywhere.

A JOURNEY of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

The art of being wise is the art of KNOWING what to overlook.

Today a reader tomorrow a LEADER.

One way to keep MOMENTUM going is to constantly have greater goals.

Work alone is NOBLE.

If a window of OPPORTUNITY appears, don’t pull down the shade.

PERSEVERANCE is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20^th.

QUALITY is not an act, it is a habit.

Take RISKS: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.

An obstacle is often a STEPPING STONE.

Every person is born with TALENT.

Always desire to learn something USEFUL.

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the VISIBLE.

Wake up every morning with the thought that something WONDERFUL is about to happen.

The difference between ordinary and eXTRAORDINARY is that that little extra.

Good habits formed at YOUTH make all the difference.

ZEAL without knowledge is fire without light.

FROM THE PAGES OF HISTORY

Two Virtues of Netaji: Kindness and Firmness

Netaji's  unique way of helping the poor: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was empathetic to the miserable since childhood. On his way to school, he would see a poor, frail old woman begging for alms. Seeing the old woman in such a debilitated state begging helplessly, the son of mother India was deeply aggrieved. He wanted to give monetary help to the old woman but he could not ask his father for money. So, an idea flashed through his mind. He stopped going to school by tram, instead he started to walk to school. He saved his tram fare and once a week, he would give all the money he had saved to the old woman. This continued for a few months. Sometime later his father came to know about the incident. He thought Subhash would not stop walking to school to help the old woman. So he sent a large sum of money to the woman. Thus, Subhash Chandra’s objective was fulfilled. 

I will not accept this condition: Netaji became a threat to the British Government due to his revolutionary efforts for the freedom of India. The top brass of the British Government were greatly harassed by him. On various occasions, the British Government tried to detain Netaji but they did not succeed. Finally they resorted to Machiavellianism. Netaji and his compatriots were convicted of treason under a false case and were given the punishment of strict imprisonment for six months.The British High Court put a diplomatic condition on their release in order to calm the people’s resentment and show sympathy to Subhash Chandra. It stated: “Subhash and his companions would be released but they would not be allowed to participate in any political activity for six months.” To turn away from his goal of attaining freedom even for a second was like walking on cinder for him. How could he turn away for six months? 

Netaji replied fearlessly, “This condition imposed on me is like allowing a person to live but not to breathe. I would refuse this condition which prohibits me from taking part in any political activity even if I were jailed for 10 years.” He accepted his Jail punishment, but would not accept the absurd conditions imposed by the British Government. After a few days, the Government was compelled to release him. Immediately after being released, he hoisted the Indian National Flag upon the Calcutta Corporation building for the first time astonishing the British rulers.

NATURAL WONDER OF INDIA

The breathtaking Borra Caves

     ONE of the lesser-known wonders of India are the magnificent Borra caves in the Araku Valley of Ananthagiri hills in the Eastern Ghats, 100 km from the coastal city of Vishakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The caves, standing at an elevation of 2,313 ft and extending to a depth of 260 ft, are a geographical marvel. They feature among the largest, deepest, and most ancient caves in the country. The caves are also known for their unique collection of irregularly shaped stalactite and stalagmite formations that take on different shapes at different angles in the interplay of light and shadows in the subterranean world, providing a visual feast for the visitors. The Borra caves have a long and interesting history. They are basically limestone structures that have been formed by the pressure exerted by the Gosthani river flowing down the Ananthagiri hills. Humic acid in the water reacted with the calcium carbonate in limestone of the hills and dissolved the minerals, gradually breaking down the rocks. The perennial water flow over the centuries led to the formation of the caves, which are believed to be not less than 150 million years old. But interestingly, the world did not know of their existence until 1807, when they were discovered by British geologist William King, in the course of an expedition for the Geological Survey of India. Subsequent excavations by 20th-century anthropologists unearthed tools made of stone, belonging to the Middle Paleolithic Age (30,000-50,000 years ago), indicating human habitation in the surrounding areas. The caves are locally known as Borra guhalu (guhalu meaning‘cave’ in Telugu). The name Borra, meaning ‘hole’ in Oriya, is believed to refer to a hole in the roof over the central area of the cave. According to a popular legend, it was a tribal cowherd who discovered, the cave, while searching for his missing cow, which had fallen through this hole. He was amazed to find the cow unhurt after a fall of 200 ft. On spotting a formation resembling a Shivalinga inside the cave, he attributed it to Lord Shiva’s grace. When the tribal community heard the story, they set up a Shiva shrine on the spot and began regular worship there– a practice that continues to this day. The cave measures up to 330 ft horizontally and 246 ft vertically at the entry. On going inside, one is confronted with a variety of elongated icicle-like structures, some jutting out from the roof and others growing up from the floor of the caves. These formations, known as stalactites and stalagmites respectively, are mineral deposits formed by the dissolution of limestone through water percolation. 

     Their interesting shapes have captured the viewers’ imagination, and have been described as ShivaParvati, mother-child, a church, a crocodile, a tiger, a cow’s udder, and the human brain, to mention a few. Efforts are under way by the Archaeological Survey of India and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism department to get the Borra caves included among the UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

THE HEAVENLY FRAGRANCE

 Jasmine

      No other flower probably has such a heavenly and easily recognisable, unique fragrance. This makes the small jasmine flower one of the most popular flowers in the world. The name jasmine comes from the Persian word ‘yasmin,’ meaning gift from God, and the flower, undoubtedly Asian in origin, is thought to have originated in the Himalayas in Western China. Some garden historians however believe that Persia, (present day Iran) is where the jasmine originated. Eventually, the fragrant flower crossed the Red Sea into Egypt with travellers as early as1000 B.C, and then migrated to Turkey and Greece.   

     The jasmine, which is the national flower of Indonesia, the Philippines, Syria, Pakistan, Thailand and Japan, is native to the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world. There are over two hundred species of this delicate, star-like flower, and most of them are white, though there are a few varieties that are pale yellow. 

     The jasmine is a climbing shrub that grows to a height of eight to ten feet. It has a slender, delicate stem, and evergreen or deciduous leaves. The plant needs bright sunlight and warmth to flourish. In the 1400’s, the jasmine was considered a ‘royal’ flower, and was planted for the kings of Afghanistan, Nepal, and Persia.

     This beautiful and popular flower is used in a variety of ways in the different lands where it is grown. In the first century AD, Dioscorides, a Greek physician and author of a treatise on medicinal herbs wrote that the Persians used jasmine oil to perfume the air in their banquet halls. Jasmine oil is made in India, Egypt, China, and Morocco, and this oil is used to make incense, perfume, and cosmetics like soaps and shampoos. In Hawaii, the jasmine flower is used to make leis (Hawaiian garlands). In Javanese weddings, this flower is commonly used for hair and dagger decorations for the bride and the groom.

     One of the most important uses of the jasmine is medicinal. This small fragrant flower is considered to be a powerful herb, useful in the treatment of numerous ailments, and is widely used in aromatherapy, and Ayurvedic medicine. In many places, including the United States, jasmine syrup is used to make marshmallows, and the flowers are used in churches along with other altar flowers to make the air fragrant.

     Jasmines are popular as gifts not only because of their wonderful fragrance and beauty, but because they are thought to attract heavenly angels, wealth and health, promote healing, and calm the nerves. They make great gifts for friends and family members, and especially for those who are night owls, as most varieties of this flower tend to unfurl and display their beauty only late at night.

     The coral jasmine, which is the official flower of the state of West Bengal in India, is also used as a source of yellow dye for clothing. Jasmines are also used to make jasmine tea, a kind of delicately scented tea which uses jasmine blossoms for aroma. This tea is a very popular beverage in China, and goes back to the days of the Sung dynasty (960-1279 AD). Since the jasmine is a versatile flower, it can be blended with any type of tea leaves, and is commonly blended with green tea, although white and other jasmine teas exist as well. In China, jasmine tea is traditionally offered as a welcome drink to guests. Jasmine tea is today prized the world over as a health drink, since it is thought to reduce the risk of cancer and high cholesterol.

     On the sacred Mount Athnos in Greece, jasmine is grown and used in incense, which is hand rolled by Byzantine Greek Orthodox monks. Jasmine incense is also used in Greek religious ceremonies and for thanksgiving. In India, the jasmine is often referred to as ‘queen of the night,’ because of the unique and distinct fragrance the flower typically gives off at night.

      The flower’s Sanskit name is ‘Mallika.’ The Latin name for the jasmine shrub is Nyctanthes arbortristis. The nyctanthes refers to the fact that the flowers bloom only at night, and drop to the ground when the sun rises, and arbor-tristis means ‘sad tree,’ referring both to the forlorn look of the flowerless specimen. The jasmine is also the sacred flower of Kama, the Hindu god of love, so jasmines are widely used in wedding rituals and as wedding garlands.

In Thailand, jasmines are considered to be symbolic of a mother’s love; the flower’s pristine white colour is thought to be as pure as the love a mother has for her child. On the12th of August, the birthday of the Queen of Thailand, the people of Thailand celebrate ‘Mother’s Day.’ On this day, jasmines are widely used as decorations in Thailand. The Thai people use garlands sewn with jasmines, called phuang malai as offerings to Buddha or to elders, or as gifts for good luck.

     In Cambodia, jasmines are used as sacred offerings to the Buddha, and jasmine buds and flowers are also used in decorative displays for temples, festivals, holidays, and weddings. Monks add jasmines to holy water, which is used for blessings.

 Do you know?

* When Vasco da Gama returned from his travels in the sixteenth century, he brought home a small, fragrant, white jasmine plant from the Far East.

* Mysore mallige, a variety of jasmine mostly grown in and around Mysore in the state of Karnataka was a favourite flower of the Wodeyars, erstwhile rulers of Mysore. They used it extensively during their spectacular Dassera celebrations every year.

* Jasmines are the favourite flowers of Nobel Laureate and celebrated Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi. She often wears them in her hair, and did so during her recent visit to India.

DO YOU KNOW

 How The Medicines Identify The Pain?

     When we swallow a pain reliever (either as a liquid or a pill), do we have to tell it to go to the region of pain? Nope! The medicine in a pain reliever doesn't go directly to whatever part of the body is hurting. Instead, pain relievers work by going everywhere. After swallowing a pain reliever, it goes to stomach where it's digested and absorbed into bloodstream. Once it gets into blood, the medicine travels throughout the whole body. When cells in the body become injured or damaged, they release a chemical called “prostaglandin”, which is very sensitive to nerve endings. When they sense a release of prostaglandin, nerve endings transmit a message through the nervous system to your brain, telling it where and how much an area of the body hurts. Pain relievers work — all throughout the body — by preventing injured cells from releasing prostaglandin. When cells stop releasing prostaglandin, the nervous system stops sending pain messages to the brain and the brain stops receiving pain messages and we stop feeling pain.

THE FORGOTTEN GENIUS

Nikola Tesla

     Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American engineer and inventor who is highly regarded in the energy history for his development of Alternating Current (AC) electrical systems. He also made extraordinary contributions in the fields of Electromagnetism and Wireless Radio Communications. 

     Nikola Tesla was born in the Croatian town of Smiljan (Austrian Empire) in 1856 to a priest father. He studied electrical engineering at the Austrian Polytechnic in Graz and later attended the Charles Ferdinand University in Prague.  

     Unfortunately, his father died early, and he had to leave the university after completing only one term. Tesla accepted a job under Tivadar Puskás in a Budapest telegraph company in 1880. He was later promoted the post of a to chief electrician and later engineer for the company. He then moved to Paris to work for the Continental Edison Company as an engineer. After moving to New York, United States, Tesla worked for Thomas Alva Edison, but the two did not get along well. He started working with George Westinghouse in 1885. There, he devised an electrical distribution system that employed the Alternating Current (AC).

Contributions & Achievements:Tesla made public the first successful wireless energy transfer to power electronic devices in 1891. Probably Tesla’s most important contribution to energy history is the use of Alternating Current (AC). The Westinghouse Electric Company was the first to implement this technology by lighting the World Colombian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. It proved to be a more efficient and effective method as compared to the direct current (DC) system of Edison to transport electricity in a grid. The technology quickly became the basis for most of the modern electricity distribution systems.        

     Besides the AC system, Tesla helped in the development of generators and turbine design. The earliest demonstration fluorescent lighting was also his accomplishment. Nikola Tesla continued his research work on electricity generation and turbine design in his later life. Even at 81, he claimed to have completed a ‘dynamic theory of gravity’ – something which was never published. He died in New York City of a heart thrombus in January 1943. He was 86 years old.

Biography in detail:

Birth of a child of light: A bright boy was born on a dark, stormy day in the Smiljan town of present-day Croatia — on July 10, 1856. According to family legend, the midwife claimed, the boy would be a child of darkness. To which, his mother replied, “No. He will be a child of light.” In that moment, Nikola Tesla’s mother, Duka Mandic, had predicted his future, as he would go on to bring light to the entire world. His mother had given him a lot more than a life; he also inherited a photographic memory and a love for innovation from her. She would often spend her spare time inventing household gadgets. His father, a priest, insisted that Nikola follow in his footsteps. But, the boy wanted to become an engineer instead, and so he did.

An Extraordinary Mind: From an early age, Nikola demonstrated incredible intelligence. He could memorise entire books, store logarithmic tables in his brain, and perform calculus in his mind. He even spoke eight languages. 

     Tesla had the ability to see visions in his head. And eventually, through these visions, he would perceive his inventions in such detail that he did not even have to draw them out on a piece of paper.

Finding Passion: At the age of 19, he went to the Polytechnic Institute at Graz in Austria, to study electrical engineering. He quickly became a star student. 

     Here, he was fascinated by the mysterious phenomenon of electricity and was curious to know more. Unfortunately, he became addicted to gambling and dropped out of school. But, he never stopped yearning for knowledge. 

     Tesla moved to Budapest to work as an electrician at a telephone exchange. One day, while walking around a park, a vision came to him. He drew a diagram on the dirt with a stick – it was of a motor to generate electricity using Alternating Current. It would be the greatest invention that would change the world.

The Edison Era: In 1882, Tesla went to Paris to work for the Continental Edison Company. At first, he simply installed indoor lighting, but his managers recognised his talent and gave him more complicated projects. 

     Soon, he was designing dynamos and motors and travelling across Europe to fix problems in other branches. In 1884, he was offered a job at Edison Machine Works in New York, where he worked with Thomas Edison. 

     Tesla worked on electric inventions under Edison, including an arc lighting system, which was never implemented. Edison said to him, “I have had many hard-working assistants but you take the cake.” 

     Tesla and Edison often disagreed over how electricity should be contained and delivered. Edison preferred Direct Current (DC), while Tesla felt strongly about Alternating Current (AC). They eventually became rivals, and Tesla quit Edison’s company.

An Entrepreneurial Sprint: In 1885, Tesla formed his own company – Tesla Electric Light and Manufacturing. But, his business partners did not want to continue investing in his ideas. They took the company’s intellectual property and shut it down, which left him penniless. 

     After losing his company, he had to dig ditches for $2 a day to survive. He felt that his knowledge about science and technology had gone to waste. But, his mind never stopped innovating.

A Turn of Fortunes: In a stroke of genius, Tesla invented his induction motor that ran on Alternating Current, in 1887. The motor was the most efficient way of converting electricity into mechanical energy. 

     George Westinghouse, who was in the electric business, took an interest in his invention and realised it was just what he needed to compete against Edison. 

     Tesla finally earned some wealth when he licensed his patent to Westinghouse for $60,000 and received a steady stream of stock royalties. Westinghouse also hired him as a consultant at Westinghouse Electric & Light Manufacturing Co. for $2000 a month.

The War of the Currents: In the late 1880s, the rivalry between Westinghouse and Edison grew intense. Edison tried multiple ways to discredit the Alternating Current system, but wasn’t completely successful. Edison’s entire business was based on Direct Current, meanwhile, Tesla’s Alternating Current showed more promise for larger electrical projects. 

     Westinghouse and Tesla won the war when they secured a contract to light up the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Tesla helped the fair illuminate more light bulbs than could be found in the entire city of Chicago. The 27 million people who attended had witnessed without a doubt that AC would power the future. 

     Next, the duo built the world’s first AC power plant at Niagara Falls. Their hydroelectric power was a massive success and helped light up Buffalo, New York.

Choosing Friendship Over Fame: Westinghouse eventually ran out of money and went into $10 million in debt. Out of desperation to save his company, he asked Tesla if his royalties could be reduced. 

     In an act of compassion, Tesla ripped up his contract. He was simply grateful to his friend for believing in him when no one else did. 

     Tesla willingly walked away from $12 million in royalties. Today, this would have been worth over $3oo million. He might have even become the world’s first billionaire and the wealthiest person on the planet. 

     As compensation for using his AC patents forever, Tesla received $216,000, which he used to set up laboratories in New York.

The Golden Era of Inventions: Thus began a period of many inventions. Tesla held over 300 patents in his lifetime. 

     In 1891, he invented his most well-known invention – the Tesla Coil. This device could produce large amounts of high voltage electricity. 

     With his technology, he invented many things, including an early version of neon lighting. He also invented the Tesla Turbine, a bladeless turbine for vehicles. 

     By experimenting with radiation, he pioneered X-ray technology. 

     In 1989, he built one of the first remote controls. He used it to control a miniature boat in Madison Square Garden, New York. It was so ahead of its time that people thought he was using magic to make it move. 

     He even experimented with and demonstrated wireless lighting. But, he never received backing for his idea. 

     The Tesla Coil helped him send and receive radio signals. He believed that wireless technology could one day power the globe. The visionary that he was, he devoted his time and research to this project. 

     He had invented the technology for the radio, or as he called it, wireless telegraphy.

When Tragedy Struck: Tesla was finally getting ready to broadcast his first radio signal, when disaster struck. In 1895, a fire broke out in his New York lab and years of his research and equipment went up in flames. 

     Two years after the incident, Tesla applied for a patent for his radio. At the same time, Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian entrepreneur was also working on the radio. 

     In 1901, Marconi was able to send the world’s first transatlantic radio message. But, he had used 17 of Tesla’s patents to do it. The US patent office awarded Marconi the patent for the invention of the radio, and he even won the Nobel Prize in Physics. 

     Tesla was furious and sued Marconi claiming infringement on his patents. The case dragged on for years and only settled in Tesla’s favour after his death. Things went downhill for Tesla after the Radio incident.

The Final Attempts: Tesla was passionate about introducing wireless communication to the world. He believed that his system could not only distribute electricity around the globe, but also help the world communicate with only a tiny device. 

     He built a large wireless transmission station in New York called the Wardenclyffe tower to give life to his theory. Unfortunately, he did not find anyone to invest in his idea. He had no choice but to abandon his dream project in 1905. 

     Once again, Tesla was well ahead of his time. 

In 1933, he was out of money, and went to live in the New Yorker hotel, which was paid for by his friend, Westinghouse. A decade later, he died penniless in the same hotel. 

     Despite his defeats, Tesla had not stopped innovating in his mind, even towards the end. He said that he had invented a motor powered by cosmic rays, which could run for 500 years. He claimed to have built a machine to photograph thoughts. And, also mentioned that he invented a “peace ray” that could bring down 10,000 aeroplanes at 200 miles. 

     Although he was thought to be a “mad scientist”, he promised to show the world his inventions in due time, but never could.

Remembering a Remarkable Man: Nikola Tesla was one of the greatest inventors of all time. But, he failed in many of his ventures because he was not a capitalist. He did not make the decisions that a typical person with a business mind would. 

     He was not concerned about wealth; rather, he was always in the pursuit of science for humanity. This conviction is also probably why he is not as well-remembered as the other great scientists that we know of. 

     Tesla wanted to change the world, and whether he knew it or not, he did. His story, full of ups and downs, leaves us wondering — if he was given the right resources and shown a little faith, where would the world be today?