Did you know that the flush toilet was invented in India?

It predates to the Indus Valley and Harappa civilization where cities were meticulously planned with extensive sewage systems. It is here that the flush toilet concept was born, right here, in India! And that’s just one example from the plethora of inventions that have been made in our country. From a pedal-powered washing machine to the simple button, here are some engineering marvels that I bet you didn’t know rooted from India.

1. The Netra Drone:  We have all watched the movie “3 Idiots” so many times that I bet we could roll the dialogues off our tongues better than our own names! The story of three boys from completely different backgrounds and their rollercoaster journey in IIT has captured the hearts of all those who have watched it. Do you remember the invention by Joy Lobo? The unmanned aerial vehicle? Back when it was used in the movie, it was just a basic prototype of NETRA. It had been pieced together by 4 students of IIT Bombay. This UAV went on to become a drone that is now being used by the Indian Army. The 4 students founded a company called ideaForge which is currently concentrating on the development of UAVs for government intelligence services and the Defence services.

2. The Iron Pillar: In the Qutub complex of Delhi stands one of the most interesting metal objects in the world – the Iron Pillar. What’s so interesting about it is that it does not seem to rust, despite being over a thousand years old. Though there are several theories to explain the Pillars resistance to corrosion, there is no solid explanation for its unique immunity to rust. The “Mixed Potential Theory” states that there is a correlation between the processing, structure, and properties of the pillar’s iron. This curious phenomenon has led to the Iron Pillar being a living testimony to the skill of metallurgists of ancient India.

3. Radio/Wireless communication: Sir J. C. Bose invented the Mercury Coherer 9 and the telephone receiver which was later used by Guglielmo Marconi to receive the radio signal in his first transAtlantic radio communication over a distance of 2000 miles in December 1901. Guglielmo Marconi was celebrated worldwide for this achievement, but the fact that the receiver was invented by Bose was completely overlooked. This was a major breakthrough in the field of communications and significantly shaped the radio industry and contributed to its growth which has invariably led to what WIFI is today. Could you imagine a life without Wifi? We have Sir J. C. Bose to thank!

4.  A Pedal-Powered washing machine:  Remya Jose was in the 10th grade when, in addition to her father’s cancer, her mother’s health started deteriorating as well. Remya and her sister had to shoulder the responsibility of running the house. But they faced a time constraint as both of them had a commute of 4 hours every day just to attend school. With the chores piling up and their energy exhausting out, the sisters found it tough to manage. And that’s what drove Remya to come up with the Pedal-Powered washing machine! She researched the anatomy of the machine and came up with a design of the same that didn’t require any electricity. All one had to do was pedal! This was also a great way to exercise. With her father’s help, Remya was able to get the workers from the neighboring garage to actually piece together the machine she had designed from spare parts and Voila! She managed to hit two birds with one stone.  

5. Buttons: That’s right, we invented Buttons yo! Buttons also date back to our Indus Valley Civilisation. In its prime, however, the button was used as an ornament or a trinket. Its potential use to hold garments together was discovered much later. The buttons were usually carved out of stones, copper, iron and other metals. Functioning buttons with buttonholes for holding clothes appeared first in Germany in the 13th century. They became widespread with the rise of snug-fitting garments later, in Europe.

And that’s it, folks! Be it the number 0, FLUSH TOILETS or even rust-resistant iron pillar, India certainly has contributed its fair share in discovery and invention.