Now Reading: GD Naidu, India’s Edison, created electric motor, 100 inventions
-
01
GD Naidu, India’s Edison, created electric motor, 100 inventions
Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, a school dropout who became a prolific inventor, developed India's first indigenous electric motor in 1937. The self-taught engineer from Coimbatore built a transport empire, Universal Motor Service, and…
The Story in Brief
Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, a school dropout who became a prolific inventor, developed India's first indigenous electric motor in 1937. The self-taught engineer from Coimbatore built a transport empire, Universal Motor Service, and was associated with over 100 inventions including an electric razor, kerosene fan, and a two-seater car. He received the Padma Bhushan in 1970 and died in 1974 at age 80. His work emphasised indigenous technology over imported equipment.
The Indian Opinion
Naidu's story is often used to argue that formal education is unnecessary for innovation. But that ignores the privilege of his era and the networks he built. Most school dropouts lack access to capital, mentors, and workshops. The real question is whether India's current technical education system can produce equivalent breakthroughs, not whether we should abandon schooling.
Source: businesstoday.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
