Creativity and ingenuity, are not necessarily related to University degrees. The great writers Khushwant Singh and R K Narayan were hardly academically brilliant. The witty Sardar has mentioned in his autobiography that Exams (tests) gave him nightmares. One of dreams which hunted him well into his 90s was him not able to answer questions inside an exam hall. . There are numerous such examples, well beyond this blog.
Yet I can't but resist mentioning the story of the famous Wright brothers, who are credited with the invention of the modern day airplane (some who believe Ravan's PUSHPAK BIMAN was his private jet, might disagree). In 1903, Wilber and Orville Wrights on a test flight, made history by managing to fly their light aircraft for 12 seconds. The Wright brothers ran a bicycle shop, and hardly qualified, neither had a formal Engineering training.
The idea of a man flying was strictly fantasy those days and the news of this event was pooh-poohed as some body's wildest fantasy. Both American government and Press were apathetic. For 5 years the brothers failed to sell their invention in their own nation. But fortunately for them, the Europeans showed some interest. The brothers now got their 2 minutes of fame by flying their light aircraft for exactly the same time.
Nothing succeeds like success. It did not take long for the American government and media to realize their folly. The Wright brothers who left the American soil as with sceptics behind them, came back home to the cheer and admiration of their countrymen. By 1909, they were celebrities, flying their plane around The Statue Of Liberty. By 1910 they were already flying 2700 feet high. The aviation industry has never looked back since.
Geniuses are born, can rarely be made. But they need to be nurtured, motivated and amply rewarded by the system to flourish further. America has exactly done that, its Creative Engine churning out myriads of innovations, from Wright brothers to iWhatevers. I devote this day to the memories of those who made this nation, what it is today. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY to all.
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