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| Johnson, Peruvannamoozhi, Kozhikode |
He cannot move from place to place without someone’s support, but Johnson has shaped his mind to go to the frontiers of lighting technology all alone, without any formal schooling.
His legs had been paralysed due to polio when he was six months old. Undeterred, he had learned electronics on his own. And in 1991, Peruvannamoozhi, his native place, was connected to the electricity grid. Those were days of acute low voltage. And Johnson started his action research.
At that time, the available tubelight choke required at least 100 volts to be active. Johnson made modifications in the available choke by tinkering with the transformer inside. The results, initially, were explosive, in a literal sense. There were at least 1000 such blasts of the choke, according to him. However, at the end of it all, he was able to develop a choke that would work at as low as 5 volts.
He started production of tubelights at home. Guaranteed to work, these were bought eagerly by the customers. Next, he developed a stabilizer that would work at 30 volts. Another product from his stables was CFL lamp.
At this time, he availed loan from a bank and set up a CFL unit nearby. But just days before its inauguration, the unit was completely gutted in a fire that was either accidental or sabotage. At the same time, his mother, who used to take care of his physical needs, passed away.
Undeterred by the twin tragedy, he started the production of CFL and emergency lights. A trainee to this unit, Usha, soon became his wife.
He claims to have developed LED bulbs too. He recalls that when a model of his LED light was shown to the experts at NIT Calicut, they claimed that LED cannot be used for lighting. His application to the Panchayat to start a LED unit next to his home was approved only after the High Court intervened.
G.Ravi, a school teacher has written a book about him, “Johnson, Velichathe Pranayicha Oral”.
Courtesy: Madhu Thrupperumthura (text), Sasi Gayathri (photo), Mathrubhumi, December 4, 2016
