The ‘Edison of India’ studied science from magazines

In 1867, Shankar Abaji Bhisey was born in Bombay, a time when Indians had limited access to formal scientific education and research facilities. Often dubbed the "Edison of India," Bhisey developed an interest in science during his youth by teaching himself from books and scientific magazines. He eventually travelled outside India to further his inventions and obtain patents.

Bhisey grew up in Bombay at a time when few institutions supported scientific research and invention. His primary resources were books and magazines, including Scientific American, which introduced him to mechanical ideas and global developments. This laid the foundation for his experimental work that later earned him the appellation "Edison of India."

While still young, Bhisey established a scientific club in Bombay and began experimenting with various ideas. His inventions included a tamper-proof bottle, an electrical device for bicycles, and a station indicator for Bombay's suburban railway system. In the late 1890s, Bhisey entered a competition organized by a British inventors' journal to design a machine capable of weighing groceries. His innovative design won him recognition in Bombay and demonstrated his ability to compete with established British contestants.

Following his success, Bhisey's administrators encouraged him to take his work to Britain, where he hoped to find investors and establish a commercial enterprise. With support from Indian nationalist figures, Bhisey travelled to London, where he connected with the Indian nationalist movement and prominent British socialist Henry Hyndman. Hyndman promised substantial funding for Bhisey's project, but the promised investment never materialized.

Bhisey's most significant invention was the Bhisotype, a typecasting machine designed to produce metal type for printing books and newspapers more quickly and cheaply. Despite attracting considerable interest, Bhisey could not secure the necessary funding. After failing to establish a commercial enterprise in London, he returned to Bombay in 1908. While his Bhisotype invention did not succeed commercially, Bhisey's contributions to Indian science and nationalist movements remain significant.