The Light of Innovation: Narinder Singh Kapany

A tale of vision, determination, and innovation that you won't want to miss! Discover the untold story of Narinder Singh Kapany, the unsung hero who revolutionized communication with his groundbreaking work in fiber optics

Narinder Singh Kapany; Source: PTC Punjabi

On October 31, 1926, a boy named Narinder Singh Kapany was born in Moga, a small city in Punjab, India. From a young age, Narinder was fascinated with the world of science and technology. He spent hours tinkering with gadgets and machines, trying to understand how they worked. As he grew older, his passion for science only grew stronger, leading him to pursue a degree in physics from Punjab University and later a Ph.D. in optics from Imperial College London. It was during his time at Imperial College that he began to delve deeper into the world of fiber optics.

At the time, most communication systems relied on copper wires to transmit signals, which were prone to interference and had limited capacity. But Narinder had a hunch that glass fibers could transmit light, and thus information, much more efficiently and over much longer distances. So he set out to prove it.

After completing his education in the mid-1950s, Kapany moved to the United States, where he augmented his research in fiber optics. Despite facing many obstacles, such as a lack of funding and discrimination as a person of Indian origin in the United States, Narinder never gave up on his research. He spent countless hours in his lab, experimenting with glass fibers, and finally, his hard work paid off. He developed the first fiber optic cables, which as he envisioned were able to transmit signals much faster and over greater distances than copper wires.

This breakthrough made it possible to transmit high-quality images and data at high speeds, which paved the way for the development of modern communication systems such as the internet, cable television, and telephone networks. Yes, the fast internet we heavily rely on is a gift of his inventions.

But his contributions to science and technology didn't stop there. He was also a gifted inventor, holding over a hundred patents for fiber optic devices, including the first fiber optic microscope and the first fiber optic bundles for medical endoscopy. With these inventions, the scope of fiber optics expanded to the field of medicine and continues to be applied in a variety of medical procedures, including surgery and diagnostic imaging.

Narinder's work may have gone largely unsung, but his impact on the world cannot be denied. His relentless pursuit of innovation has changed the way we communicate and has touched the lives of billions of people around the world. Even though Narinder Singh Kapany passed away on December 3, 2020, at the age of ninety-four, his legacy will live on forever as the father of fiber optics.