Happy birthday Einstein

 Not many are aware that the famous Scientist Einstein was one of our own. He was Alok Sahoo from the village of "Aitalang", not far from the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. After migrating to Germany he converted into Judaism and became Albert Ein-Stein, taking his new sur(last) name from his native village. This is of course a joke. Albert Einstein, arguably the greatest Scientist of the 20th century who had his birthday couple of days ago needs no introduction.

The famous Nobel laureate who is better known for his Theory of Relativity, explained it in a very simple layman's term - "If you are chatting with a pretty girl time flies, if you are listening to a bored lecture time stops". For a few when reading my blogs the time could fly, but for the most it's boring enough to make time stop. This is one way of explaining THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY, though the genius got Nobel prize for Physics for Photoelectric effects, not for his famous Theory of relativity.

A brilliant German Jew, he packed to America when Hitler rewarded his community members by packing them to Gas chambers. There is a popular story in Odia of two cats who were fighting over a PITHA (rice cake). Their cat fight continued under the watchful eyes of a clever monkey who eventually to the cats dismay snatched the cake away. The poor felines ended up getting nothing, salivating and watching the monkey devouring it. 

The moral of the story - "When two fight, the third one gains at their expense". America was immensely benefited by the World War II when the Europeans fought among themselves, the Jews popularion of Europe migrated en masse across the Atlantic. They, along with their progenies made huge contribution towards their adapted nation. One of them was Albert Einstein, another one is the grandfather of Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg, due to his credit a bunch of hitherto unknowns are able to share our views. There are many more such Jewish immigrants success story in America.

Once Einstein was attending a seminar in Princeton university where he taught after migrating to America. He came out during the lunch break to grab some food and entered into a restaurant. The waiter brought him the menu. Einstein suddenly realized that he left his glasses at the seminar. So he requested the waiter to read the menu for him. "Sorry Sir, I am also illiterate like you" - politely replied the waiter.

World War II was over. Hitler who killed the jews in drove and drove away the remaining ones ended up killing himself inside his bunker, not before he drove Germany the dictator's dreamland of pure, Aryan race to Gotterdammerung. Albert Einstein settled down in Princeton University of the United States. The state of Israel soon came into existence, with the US President Truman taking no time in recognizing the Jewish state. The post of President of this newly formed state of Israel was offered to on a platter to Mr. Einstein. But the man who solved many complex problems in Physics declined it by saying, "I have no head for problems". The smart guy he was he knew politics isn't every one's cuppa tea. Rahul Gandhi are you listening ?

The eminent Scientist was frequently invited to attend a lot seminars, sundry events in schools and colleges. One early morning he had one such events scheduled - to address a group of high school students. Einstein didn't sleep much the previous night. He felt tired but decided to make it. Upon reaching the venue he instructed his look alike driver to act as Albert Einstein and attend the function while he will catch a nap inside the car. The driver duly obliged. 

After the felicitation was over, a student asked a tough question to the driver. The driver was a smart guy (He had to be. If I were having the habit of sitting close to Einstein, the dumb person in me would have contracted some of his smartness). He instantly replied with a chuckle - "Such an easy question ? Even my driver can answer this. Let me call him". The driver took a walk to his car and woke up the Scientist, explaining the situation to him. Einstein went back to the audience and answered the student's query.

Not sure if this is an urban legend. But those were the days sans cellphone cameras, without any media scrutiny. A close lookalike could easily pass off as the real one, with a contingency plan to back out in case.

He once described our own Mahtma Gandhi as - "It is hard a believe such a man in flesh and blood ever walked on the surface of earth". The world famous scientist wasn't far from the truth. My tribute to the greatest Scientist who ever walked on earth who was born exactly 143 years ago.