Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany the father of fibre optics has passed away at the age of 94. Recognized as the “Father of Fibre Optics” on a global scale, Kapany’s research in the 1950’s led to the development of fibre optics and he was the first person to demonstrate the transmission of an image through a bundle of glass fibres. Without Kapany’s groundbreaking gifts to science, none of this technology would have been invented and the very nature of our world would be dramatically different today. Darpan Magazine had an opportunity to do a cover story on this legend. He was at the 7th Annual Extraordinary Achievement Awards where he was the recipient of the International Sensation Award.
He was endowed with the title the man who bent light. This scientific genius hailing from Punjab, India was recognized as one of the seven ‘Unsung Heroes’ by Fortune magazine in their ‘Businessman of the Century’ issue in 1999. Kapany is indeed a man of numerous talents and accomplishments.
Throughout his life and career, he has been a scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, business executive, academic scholar, professor, mentor, philan- thropist, art collector and an artist himself. Further notable undertakings include Kapany’s many philanthropic contributions to the areas of education and art. In 1967, he created ‘The Sikh Foundation,’ a non-profit and non-political charitable organization dedicated to promoting the culture, heritage and future of Sikhism. “I wanted to provide a platform for our children and other Americans to learn and find out what Sikhism is about.”
The Sikh Foundation strives to foster awareness and greater ties between Sikhs and Americans in the 21st century, says Kapany and over the last few decades, the Foundation has been involved in a number of initiatives from academic courses and conferences to Sikh art exhibitions and the renovation and conservation of historical Sikh monuments.
