HE ILLUMINATED THE FUTURE

On 11th February 1847, Thomas Alva Edison, one of the greatest inventors of human civilisation till now, was born.

Incandescent light bulb, phonograph and the motion picture camera are among his major path-breaking contributions, which in turn contributed to take humankind to a truly modern industrial age and brought about a sea change in our lives and lifestyles for the better.

He also played a role in improving telegraph and telephone; the two edifices of modern communication in the last century. When he died on 18th October 1931, he had an astonishing number of 1093 patents to his name. His work greatly empowered various aspects of our life, entertainment and business and it would not be far-fetched to say that he was the original founding father of music and movie business as we know today.

Born in Ohio, the US as the seventh and youngest child of Samuel Ogden Edison Jr. and Nancy Matthews Elliott, Edison grew up in Port Huron, Michigan.

Edison, who was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organised science and teamwork in the invention process, attended school for a few months only, and was homeschooled by his schoolteacher mother.

Humble Beginnings

By 12 Edison lost most of his hearing ability, the cause of which has spawned several stories. According to Edison, it was a result of an incident in which he was grabbed by his ears and lifted to a train. But what is amazing that his near disability couldn't impede his astonishing ability.