Narinder Kapany - Narinder Singh Kapany: The Man Who Bent Light

The father of fibre optics, Dr Narinder Singh Kapany was far more than your typical multi-hyphenate. Inventor, art collector, sculptor, farmer, entrepreneur, teacher, and a successful businessman, Dr Kapany was what Fortune magazine in its 1999 issue called, one of the seven unsung heroes of the 20th century. An insightful and inspirational life story, this memoir chronicles his ninety remarkable years. Charming, idiosyncratic, and highly engaging, The Man who Bent Light serves up enough variety and verve to celebrate the lives of a half-dozen individuals. But there is only one Narinder Singh Kapany, and his life, illuminated in his singular memoir, is a life like no other.

Dr. Narinder Si ngh Kapany (19262020) was born in Punjab and after graduating in India, moved to the Imperial College London for his doctorate. In 1953, working alongside Harold Hopkins at the Imperial College, he was the first to successfully transmit high-quality images through fibre bundles. His breakthrough achievements helped create a foundational element of the internet age, affecting the lives and businesses of millions around the world. In 1961, Dr Kapany along with his wife moved to Woodside where he founded Optics Technology Inc., successfully taking it public in 1967. He was the first Indian Sikh to take a company public in Silicon Valley.

A noted philanthropist, Dr Kapany was also deeply committed to championing Sikh culture and language. He created the Sikh Foundation in 1967 which pioneered the display of Sikh Arts at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC and at the Rubin Museum New York. He established the first permanent Sikh Art Gallery in the United States at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco and in Canada at the Montreal Museum of Art.

Recipient of various awards and honours, including Padma Vibhushan, one of the highest civilian awards of India, Dr Kapany was a man of enormous intellect, boundless energy and an infectious laugh. His passionate commitment to science and Sikh art has left an indelible impact on the lives of innumerable people around the world.

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Narinder Singh Kapany, 2021

Front cover: Dr Narinder Singh Kapany, in an advertisement shot for Bank of America in late 1960s, Palo Alto, California.

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eISBN: 978-93-92130-00-7

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This e-book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated, without the publishers prior consent, in any form or cover other than that in which it is published.

I am deeply indebted to Tom Parker, who tirelessly worked for a year towards recording my experiences, authenticated them, and prepared the final draft of my book.

Sonia Dhami, Executive Director of the Sikh Foundation, worked diligently to select the images, consistently reviewed the relevance of the topics, and oversaw this books production.

Furthermore, I am deeply indebted to Raj Kapany and Kiki Kapany for steadfastly listening to my experiences and making valuable suggestions.

Kapany Coat of Arms at the family home in Woodside, California