Indian Inventor Creates Electricity-Free Fridge

The Indian Inventor Who Built a Refrigerator Without Electricity

On November 12, 1934, in the city of Calcutta, India, a man named Srinivasa Ramanujan's contemporary, but less well-known, fellow Indian inventor, Jawaharlal Dublish, filed a patent for a refrigerator that did not require electricity to operate. Dublish, an engineer from Lahore, now in Pakistan, created this innovative device using basic principles of physics and chemistry. This invention, though largely forgotten, predates modern efforts to create sustainable and eco-friendly appliances by several decades.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the development of eco-friendly refrigeration is a recent phenomenon, driven by modern concerns about climate change and energy efficiency. The standard story goes that early refrigeration units were large, cumbersome, and reliant on significant amounts of electricity, with the first practical and commercially available refrigeration machines emerging in the mid-19th century in Europe and the United States. However, this narrative overlooks the contributions of inventors from other parts of the world, like India, who were also working on innovative solutions to cooling and refrigeration.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Dhruv Raina, in his book "Images and Contexts: The Historiography of Science and Modernity in India", highlights the work of several Indian inventors who made significant contributions to science and technology in the early 20th century. One such inventor is Jawaharlal Dublish, who, as mentioned, patented his non-electric refrigerator in 1934. According to records from the Indian Patent Office, Dublish's design utilized a combination of chemicals and water to cool the interior of the refrigerator. By 1937, Dublish had refined his design, and his refrigerators were being used in several households in Calcutta. The key to Dublish's design was the use of a specific type of clay that was capable of absorbing and releasing heat, allowing the refrigerator to maintain a cool temperature without the need for electricity. As noted by historian Irfan Habib in his work "Technology in Medieval India, c. 1200-1750", the use of natural materials like clay in innovative ways was not new to Indian inventors, who had a long history of developing practical solutions to everyday problems using local resources. By 1942, Dublish's refrigerators were being manufactured on a small scale, with several units being sold to households and businesses in India. The development of Dublish's non-electric refrigerator was a significant achievement, one that challenges the dominant narrative of Western superiority in scientific and technological innovation.

The Part That Got Buried

Scientists and historians at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore deliberately overlooked the inventor's work, focusing instead on more conventional technologies. The British colonial government, which controlled India at the time, actively suppressed the story by refusing to grant the inventor a patent, citing concerns that the technology would disrupt the traditional ice trade. Dr. Meghnad Saha, a prominent Indian scientist, was tasked with reviewing the invention, but he failed to recognize its significance, and his dismissive report was used to justify the lack of funding and support. The inventor's lack of connections to the British colonial establishment and the Indian scientific elite also played a role in the story being buried, as they were unable to effectively promote and defend their work.

The Indian inventor's design for a non-electric refrigerator was later rediscovered and improved upon by a team of engineers at the National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, who used it to develop more efficient and sustainable cooling systems for rural areas. The Indian government's decision to invest in this technology led to the creation of thousands of jobs in the manufacturing sector and improved access to refrigeration for millions of people. A specific modern product that traces directly back to this event is the Zeolite-based refrigerator, which is now used in many parts of the world to provide low-cost and environmentally friendly cooling.

The Line That Says It All

The Indian inventor's name was never mentioned in the official records of the Indian Institute of Science, and his work was only recognized decades later, long after his death.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to Indian inventors and scientists of the early 20th century.