SWEDISH INNOVATIONS
INDIAN INTERPRETATIONS
the energy of innovation - co-creating the future
Swedish Innovations - Indian Interpretations
a selection of photographs by
Aanchal Malhotra I Abdullah Qureshi I Abhijit Chakraborty I Amitava Chandra I
Anunay Arora I Apoorv Tomar I Chandan Dey I Hari Kumar I Joydeep Mukherjee
I Kanchan Dhankani I Manas Kumar Panda I Mihir Misra I Mohit Kansal I Prachi
Singh I Priyanka Parkar I Radha Ganesan I Samrat Mukhopadhyay I Sanjit
Das I Sanyam Bajaj I Somennath Mukhopadhyay I Souveek Bhattacharjee I
Sreejith Jeevan I Sudipto Das I Supriya Biswas I Swati Dayani I Vinita Agarwal I
Vishal Arora
First Published 2012
As part of the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week
Produced by
Embassy of Sweden
4-5 Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021
Printed by
Concept Solution India
57-A, First Floor, Khizrabad
New Friends Colony
New Delhi - 110065
www.cs-india.net
FOREWORD
The book that you are about to read contains a selection of creative – and
beautifully executed – photographs of Swedish innovations, as they have
been interpreted by independent Indian photographers. The product is truly
Indo-Swedish and a symbol of the importance that our societies attach to
innovations and cooperation for the co-creation of a better future.
For a favorable innovation climate, we need to be able to imagine not what
is, but what could be, and this takes courage and creativity as well as openness
to different perspectives.
Sweden and India are very different. Yet, we have prominent complementarities and, equally important, we
share the will to work together to identify and make use of these. This kind of cooperation is already for
the development of new life- and productivity enhancing products and solutions, and it will be even more
so in the future, in a strongly inter-connected, inter-dependent world. Our cooperation for innovations will
help us, together, lead the way to a future that is better for all.
Harald Sandberg
Ambassador of Sweden to India
CONTENTS
3FOREWORD
48OMBUDSMAN
7INTRODUCTION
50PACEMAKER
9
PHOTO COMPETITION
52
PAPER BLEACHING PROCESS
10
ADJUSTABLE WRENCH
54
POLHEM KNOT
12
AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM
56
POSITION INDICATING SYSTEM– GP&C
14
BALL BEARING
58PROPELLER
16BICYCLE
60
SAFETY MATCH
18BLOWTORCH
62SKYPE
20BLUETOOTH
64
SOLAR WATER PURIFICATION
22
CELSIUS TEMPERATURE SCALE
66
SOOTLESS KEROSENE STOVE
24
COATED ELECTRODE
68SPOTIFY
26
COCA COLA BOTTLE DESIGN
70
STEEL ALLOY
28
COMPUTER GRAPHICS
72
SUN VALVE/Light House
30DYNAMITE
74
TETRA PAK
32ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY
76
THE MILK CREAM SEPARATOR
34FIKA
78
THE VOLVO BUS
36
FOAM PLASTIC
80
THREE-PHASE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
38
GREEN NANO
82
THREE-POINT SEAT BELT
40HVDC
84ZIPPER
42
MALAISE TRAP
87JURY
44
MOBILE CALLING SYSTEM
88WINNER
46
Number Dialing BUTTON
90PHOTOGRAPHERS
INTRODUCTION
Millions of hearts around the world beat with the help of a pacemaker. Candles are lit with the help of
safety matches. And innumerable lives have been saved with the help of the three-point seat belt. These
are just a few examples of Swedish innovations that have made a difference.
Despite being home to only 10 million people, Sweden ranks as one of the most innovative countries in
the world and there are more than 42000 patented Swedish innovations. Many things can explain this: A
tradition of inventors, the country’s wealth largely being built on finding and exploiting better ways for
industrial production. A commitment to gender equality, allowing the full creativity and brain capacity
of the population to be taken into account and heterogeneous solutions to be developed. A belief in
empowering the individual, strengthening the sense of responsibility. And a strong linkage between the
higher education, society and companies, including large investments in R&D.
Another factor is international openness. Sweden has a tradition of exploring complementarities and
collaborating with others for mutually beneficial solutions. It is no coincidence that the theme for
the Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week 2012 is “The Energy of Innovation – co-creating the future”.
Cooperation has always been conducive of innovations, but as the world grows smaller, the relevance
of working together grows larger.
PHOTO COMPETITION
The images in this book are the product of a photo contest which was organized as part of the
Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week 2012. The task, to which anyone carrying an Indian passport
was invited, was to capture and artistically interpret a Swedish innovation, through the lens of the
camera. Over 450 fantastic photos were submitted by established, as well as aspiring, photographers
from all over the country. As there were so many strong candidates, the jury had an equally pleasant
as difficult task to select the finalists.
The Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week is an annual celebration of innovations, creativity and
Indo-Swedish relations. It is organized by the Embassy of Sweden together with a number of Swedish
organizations and companies in India.
11
ADJUSTABLE WRENCH
Johan Petter Johansson
Each year, about 40 million adjustable wrenches are produced around the world using the design
developed by Swede Johan Petter Johansson (1853-1943). As a professional fitter, Johansson reacted to
the large number of wrenches required for the different screws and nuts he had to work with. In 1888 he
invented the “universal wrench” (an adjustable pipe wrench), and in 1892 he constructed and patented
the first adjustable nut wrench. In his lifetime, J.P. Johansson fathered close to 120 innovations, many
of which are still manufactured and used around the world today.
12
For my Grandma
Supriya Biswas
13
Air Conditioning System
Carl Munters
The innovation – a development of an earlier air conditioner version – was patented by the Swedish
inventor Carl Munters (1897-1989), who at the time of his death held over one thousand patents. Munter
developed an air conditioning system based on the use of evaporative cooling and dehumidification.
Today, Munters AB is a world leading manufacturer in the field of air conditioning and dehumidification.
All the company’s products are founded in Carl Munter’s research of thermo dynamics.
14
Cooling Old Delhi
Samrat Mukhopadhyay
15
Ball Bearing
Sven Wingquist
While ball bearings have been used since the Middle Ages, Swedish inventor and industrialist Sven
Wingquist (1876-1953) is considered the father of the modern ball bearing. Inspired to create a more
effective production in industry, he invented the spherical ball bearing in 1907. Svenska Kullager
Fabriken, or as it is known internationally, SKF, was founded by Sven Wingquist, and is still the world
leader in the area.
16
Peep Show
Sudipto Das
17
BICYCLE WITH A FREE WHEEL AND A REAR WHEEL BREAK
Birger Ljungström
The first bicycle with a free wheel and a rear wheel brake was invented by the Swedish teenager Birger
Ljungström (1872-1948), at the age of 16. With financial help from Alfred Nobel (Yes! The man behind
the Nobel Prizes), Birger Ljungström and his brother Fredrik made further developments to the bicycle
and in 1894, they sold the first one. Till today, the rear-wheel brake is the most common bike-type in
Sweden.
18
Cycle for Life
Somennath Mukhopadhyay
19
Blowtorch
Carl Richard Nyberg
The inventor and industrialist Carl Richard Nyberg (1858-1939), based on his experiences in goldsmithing,
and eager to increase efficiency at his work in a petroleum stove factory, invented the blowtorch in
1881. The Nyberg blowtorch operated on kerosene in much the same manner as a kerosene stove.
His blowtorch was small and convenient and provided high heat for many different purposes. For
tradesmen all over the world, the blowtorch remained an important daily tool for a full century, only
being outperformed by liquid-gas torches in the last 20 years.
20
Elephant God
Chandan Dey
21
Bluetooth
Sven Mattisson & Jaap Haartsen
The Bluetooth was developed as a cable replacement in 1994 by Sven Mattisson and Jaap Haartsen,
who were both working for Ericsson in Lund, Sweden. The specification is based on frequency-hopping
spread spectrum technology. The revolutionizing innovation, today used by billions of people, is built
into a wide range of products, from cars and mobile phones to medical devices and computers, and
allows users to exchange data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices.
22
Prayer
Abhijit Chakraborty
23
CELSIUS TEMPERATURE SCALE
Anders Celsius
Anders Celsius (1701-44), a Swedish astronomer and mathematician, developed the widely used
100-degree thermometer, the scale on which water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 (at sea
level air pressure). Uppsala-born Anders Celsius started his career as a science student at Uppsala
University, where he later also became a professor in astronomy. He also took part in the
establishment of the first astronomical observatory in Sweden.
24
99+
Sudipto Das
25
Coated Electrode
Oscar Kjellberg
The Coated electrode was invented by the Swedish inventor and industrialist Oscar Kjellberg
(1870-1931). In 1904 he produced a coated electrode that substantially improved the quality of weld
metal, and his pioneering work paved the way for the next twenty years of research of reliable flux
coated electrodes. Kjellberg also founded the Swedish company ESAB, which still today is a leading
welding industry in engineering.
26
Indian Industry
Supriya Biswas
27
COCA COLA BOTTLE DESIGN
Alexander Samuelson
At the end of the 19th century, young Alexander Samuelson left Sweden for America. After joining
Root Glass Company, Samuelson was assigned to create a bottle for the Coca Cola Company.
The iconic design of the original Coca-Cola bottle, which stood out for its cocoa-bean-inspired
shape and easy grip, is still being revered. Samuelson’s work has become a symbol of one of the most
well-known brands in the world.
28
Secret Pleasures
Anunay Arora
29
Computer Graphics
Håkan Lans
When Swedish multi-inventor Håkan Lans (b. 1947), first introduced his colour graphics for computers
in 1981, black and white screens were generally perceived to be sufficient for all computer needs. As
times changed, Lans’ color graphics became a standard used by almost all computer manufacturers.
Yet, the invention has been less than a blessing for Lans, who has had to fight several legal battles over
the right to the technique.
30
Digital Indian Architecture
Apoorv Tomar
31
Dynamite
Alfred Nobel
The dynamite, invented by Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), was the first safely manageable explosive
stronger than black powder. Nobel obtained patents for his invention in 1867 and originally, he sold
the product under the name “Nobel’s Blasting Powder”. Dynamite rapidly gained popularity after
its introduction, as a safe alternative to gunpowder and nitroglycerin. The blasting of the St. Gotthard
Tunnel, the New York City subways, the Panama Canal – to mention but a few projects – made the
Nobel world-famous. Dynamite is mainly used in the mining, quarrying, and construction industries
and has had historical use in warfare, but the unstable nature of nitroglycerin, especially if subjected
to freezing, has rendered it obsolete for modern military use.
32
Workers in the Stone Mine
Joydeep Mukherjee
33
Echocardiography
Inge Edler & Carl Hellmuth Hertz
Echocardiography is a non-invasive method for examining the heart. It was developed in 1954 by
the Swedish cardiologist Inge Edler (1911-2001) and the Austrian physicist Carl Hellmuth Hertz
(1915-1980), both students of Lund University in Sweden. The innovation revolutionized the
cardiovascular diagnostics, and in 1977 Hertz and Edler received the American equivalent of the
Nobel Prize in medicine, the Lasker Prize.
34
Lifeline
Sudipto Das
35
Fika –
coffee institution for organizational effectiveness
Fika is a Swedish social institution, implying a pause from an activity to have coffee or tea, often
together with a cinnamon roll or cookies. Knowing that informal contacts between colleagues in
a workplace tends to enhance information exchange, employee morale and the perception of a
common goal, and thereby the organizational productivity, most workplaces in Sweden systematically
encourage daily or even twice-daily fika among their employees. It is in this context viewed less
as a break and more as an informal meeting venue. The fika concept has increasingly been embraced
by organizations outside the Swedish borders, and Swedes still belong to the biggest coffee drinkers
in the world.
36
Cinnamon Rolls Pattern for IKEA
Designer: Sreejith Jeevan
37
Foam Plastic
Carl Munters
In the early 1930s, Swedish inventor Carl Munters (1897-1989) started exploring isolations material.
Munters, who also invented the air conditioning system and by the time of his death held over
one thousand patents, found a method of making foam plastic, plastic with cells, which was later
rediscovered and used for making Styrofoam. The use of foam plastic had a breakthrough during
the Second World War and was mostly used in life vests and life-saving rafts. Foam plastic is today
most commonly used in isolation and packing material.
38
Amalgamated Bliss
Priyanka Parkar
39
GREEN NANO Energy Saving Technology
Lars Samuelson
Sweden has world-leading research in solar technology and artificial photosynthesis. The green Nano
research is aimed at mastering controlled manipulation of structures and adaption on a molecular
and atomic level, as well as to make the Nano technology widely accessible for safe and eco-friendly
energy saving applications. In 2005, Lund University Professor in Solid State Physics, Lars Samuelson (b.
1948), and his colleague Ph.D. Jonas Ohlsson, started the company Glõ with the objective to develop
and commercialize energy-efficient and low-cost nanowire light-emitting diodes (nLED) based on its
proprietary heterostructured semiconductor nanowire epitaxial growth and process technologies.
The initiative has attracted vast venture capital and the product is expected to revolutionize the
world’s energy efficient lighting technology and market.
40
Makes my Work Easier
Sanjit Das
41
HVDC Transmission of High Voltage Direct Current
Asea (Later ABB)
The High Voltage Direct Current system (HVDC) is an innovation for transmitting bulk power over
long distances and interconnecting incompatible power grids. The development of the technology
was for a long time hurdled by the difficulty of finding reliable and economically viable valves that
could convert high voltage currents (direct to alternating and vice-versa). In the 1930s, the Swedish
company ASEA (later ABB) made breakthroughs in this area and the technology was commercialized
in the 1950s. Today there are over 120 HVDC systems in operation all over the world.
42
HVDC Electrical System
Swati Dayani
43
Malaise Trap
René Malaise
The malaise trap was invented 1934 by René Malaise (1892-1978), a Swedish entomologist, explorer
and art collector who is also known for his systematic collection of thousands of insects. The design
of a malaise trap is based on the shape of an old-fashioned two-man tent and is made from fine
netting, ribbon loops, guy ropes and tent pegs. When a flying insect hits a vertical sheet of netting it
instinctively flies up towards the light and thereafter a hole in the netting allows it to pass into the
collecting bottle.
44
Sunny Side Up
Mohit Kansal
45
MOBILE CALLING SYSTEM
Östen Mäkitalo
The basis for the mobile (cellular) telephony was developed in the 1950s. As electronic components
shrank in size and microchips were developed, an intense worldwide race began to create a firstgeneration wireless telephone system. In 1976, the Swedish telephone systems company Ericsson, and
their research department headed by Östen Mäkitalo (1938-2011), drew up guidelines for Network
Management Technologies (NMT), a wireless telephone system for everyone. The idea was based on
technology that was yet to be developed. The tactic was a success. In the beginning of the 1980s, NMT
made its breakthrough in modern mobile telephony. When NMT was introduced, the media made the
claim that “Portable telephones have finally become portable.”
46
Age of Communication
Chandan Dey
47
Number Dialing BUTTON
Laila Ohlgren
The practical use of the mobile telephone was enabled by an innovation developed by Laila Ohlgren
(b. 1937), a Swedish engineer. Ohlgren revolutionized the mobile telephony with her introduction
of a technique to store the dialed number on the phone and connect the full number at once to
the grid, thereby enabling effective browsing between different base stations and mobile towers.
Ohlgren started her career at the Swedish Telephony Authority and worked with the development
of the NMT system. She is the only woman so far to have received the prestigious Polhem
Prize, which she did for her number storing innovation.
48
Connecting People
Amitava Chandra
49
Ombudsman
An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between the state or an organization,
and some internal or external constituency. The term originates from old Swedish and means
“representative”. The modern meaning of the word came about when Sweden instigated the
Parliamentary Ombudsman in year 1809. Commonly known as the Ombudsmen for Justice, these are
elected by the Swedish Parliament to ensure that public authorities and their staff comply with the laws
and other statutes governing their actions. Sweden today has some ten different official ombudsman
functions, representing broader groups and interests of society, for example an ombudsman against
discrimination, one for gender equality, one for the interest of children, etc. The term is sometimes
used for representatives from the trade unions and of legal representatives from organizations and
companies.
50
Representatives of the Future
Sanyam Bajaj
51
Pacemaker
Rune Elmqvist
As early as the beginning of the 1800s, physicians had dreamt of increasing the frequency of the
heartbeat through electrical impulses. The idea was realized in 1958, when the Swedish doctor Rune
Elmqvist (1906-1996) built his first pacemaker, a device so small that it could be surgically implanted.
The same year, the world´s first pacemaker operation was performed by the Swedish professor Åke
Senning (1915-2000) at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm. Today, millions of people have
had pacemakers implanted.
52
Pacemaker Makes Me Walk, Not the Stick
Abdullah Qureshi
53
Paper BleAching Process
Johan Richter
The continuous bleaching process for paper was invented by Johan Richter (1901-1997) in the 1930s.
Richter, born in Norway, was recruited to Sweden by a Swedish industrialist to develop his bleaching
process ideas. Today, virtually all paper in the world is produced with processes developed by Richter,
who at the time of his death held more than 750 patents.
54
Flora Making Paper
Aanchal Malhotra
55
Polhem Knot
Christopher Polhem
The Polhem knot is a universal joint on a cardan shaft, consisting of a pair of hinges, oriented at 90°
of each other and connected by a cross shaft, which lets the shaft alter its orientation. Christopher
Polhem (1661-1751), a Swedish inventor, scientist and industrialist often dubbed the “mechanical father
of Sweden”, reinvented the cardan joint, giving it the name the Polhem knot. The Polhem knot is used
extensively in automobiles, but also in propellers.
56
Knots of Belief
Hari Kumar
57
Position Indicating System – GP&C
Håkan Lans
The Position Indicating System “GP&C” is a development of the Global Positioning System GPS, by
Swedish multi-inventor Håkan Lans (b. 1947). The navigation system is based on satellites for position
determination, and used for monitoring of traffic at sea, air and land. The GP&C allows navigators to
see the movements of other aircrafts, ships and cars. Lans’ system was accepted as the international
standard for ocean traffic in 1999, and in 2000 as the international standard for air traffic. This has
minimized the risk for air collisions and allowed traffic routes to be drawn closer together, thereby
reducing flying time and fuel consumption.
58
Connected
Abhijit Chakraborty
59
Propeller
John Ericsson
John Ericsson (1803-1889) was a Swedish 19th century multi-inventor. Many of Ericsson’s inventions
included hot-air, steam engines and solar heaters, but his most important work as an inventor was in
the area of propellers for ships. Ericsson was not the first one to construct a propeller, but his design
for driving ships was the first practical one. Since the introduction of Ericsson’s design, the appearance
of ship propellers has barely changed.
60
Catch the Wind
Somennath Mukhopadhyay
61
Safety Match
Gustaf Erik Pasch
Before the introduction of the safety match, lighting devices typically contained deadly white
phosphorus. Gustaf Erik Pasch (1788-1862) came up with the idea of separating the phosphorus from
the match head and applying it in a non-poisonous and less inflammable form (red phosphorus) on
a special striking surface. In 1844 Pasch received a patent on his innovation. Johan Edvard Lundström
(1815-1888) and his brother, Carl Frans Lundström (1823-1917), who established the Jönköping Match
Factory in 1844-1845, adopted Pasch’s invention and improved it. In 1855 J.E. Lundström was granted a
patent for a completely phosphorus-free match. This, in combination with the first automatic match
machine, developed by Alexander Lagerman (1836-1904), an employee at the match factory, formed
the basis for a hugely successful mass production of high quality safety matches.
62
Safety Mismatch
Apoorv Tomar
63
Skype
Niclas Zennström
Skype is an IP-telephony service that allows free voice and video calls over the Internet. The company
was founded by the Swedish entrepreneur Niklas Zennström (b. 1966) and Danish-born Janus Friis
(b. 1976), whose creation has come to dominate the Internet calling scene, with hundreds of millions
of people using the company’s services. The name Skype is often being used as a verb, when people
“skype” one another. Zennström has subsequently founded Atomico – a venture capital firm focused
on consumer technologies with the potential to transform markets.
64
Reach Out and Touch Someone
Mihir Misra
65
SOLAR WATER PURIFICATION
Petra Wadström
Solvatten, is a low-cost household water treatment unit that cleans organically contaminated water
with the help of sunlight. Solvatten was invented by the Swedish designer, artist and inventor Petra
Wadström (b. 1952) and the technology combines filtration, UV-disinfection and heat-pasteurization,
making water drinkable within 2-6 hours of sun exposure. Solvatten is one of several Swedish
innovations in the area of water purification.
66
Source of Life
Manas Kumar Panda
67
Sootless Kerosene Stove
Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist
The sootless kerosene stove was invented in year 1892 by the Swedish engineer Frans Wilhelm Lindqvist
(1862-1931). The stove is operated on compressed air, with the kerosene, when pushed into the warm
carburetor gasifies and mixes with the air and starts burning as a blue, very hot, sootless flame. The
sootless kerosene stove got the name Primus and has been exported all over the world.
68
Lighting
Chandan Dey
69
Spotify
Daniel Ek & Martin Lorentzon
In 2006, Swedish entrepreneurs Daniel Ek (b. 1983) and Martin Lorentzon (b. 1969) founded the streaming
music service Spotify. The innovation has given tens of millions of users easy online access to large
parts of the world’s musical treasure. Spotify was developed as a response to illegal streaming and
Internet piracy, granting artists reimbursement as their music is played. The photo of Spotify earned
its creator, Abhijit Chakraborty, the first prize in the photo contest Swedish Innovations – Indian
Interpretations 2012.
70
Sharing the Music
Abhijit Chakraborty
71
SteEl Alloy
Hans von Kantzow
The patented steel alloy Kanthal was invented by the Swedish mining engineer Hans von Kantzow
(1887-1979). The steel alloy is mostly a mixture between chrome (20-30 %) and aluminum (4-7.5 %),
and also contains small amounts of cobalt and iron. The steel alloy Kanthal is characterized by its
tolerance for high temperature and electric resistance. Kanthal can be used as heating elements in
electric ovens and the wire of Kanthal is an excellent cutting tool for processing styrofoam.
72
Steel Alive
Abhijit Chakraborty
73
SUN VALVE/LIGHT HOUSE
Gustaf Dalén
The sun valve is a type of flow control valve, which earned its Swedish inventor Gustaf Dalén
(1869-1937) the Nobel Prize in physics in 1912 (the same year which Dalén lost his eyesight in a
laboratory accident). The valve formed part of the Dalén Light which was used in lighthouses from
the early 1900s through the 1960s, by which time electric lighting came to dominate. Despite being
blind on both eyes, Dalén continued working for another 25 years after having received the Nobel
Prize and he was during, his lifetime granted, patents for a total of 99 innovations.
74
Spreading the Light
Abhijit Chakraborty
75
Tetra Pak
Ruben Rausing & Erik Wallenberg
Until Tetra Pak was introduced in the early 1950s, the market for storage of non-carbonated
drinks was still dominated by glass bottles. Ruben Rausing (1895-1983), inspired by having seen
wax-covered paper containers of milk in the US, wanted to find a less expensive and more durable
and hygienic storage solution. Together with Erik Wallenberg (1915-1999), he introduced the
disposable plastic-coated paper container which still today dominates the market for non-carbonated
drink storage, offering consumers a simpler and more hygienic way to handle milk (and other drinks)
for home use.
76
Intermission
Prachi Singh
77
THE MILK CREAM SEPARATOR
Gustaf de Laval
The Swedish engineer and inventor Gustaf de Laval (1845-1913) made two crucial contributions to the
dairy industry: his milking machine (1896), which rationalized a time-consuming everyday chore on the
farms and reduced demand for farm laborers, and the milk cream separator (1877), a devise tailored,
to through centrifugal forces, effectively separate the cream from the milk. Thanks to de Laval, most
milking is today done my milking machines rather than by hand, which has improved the hygiene and
safety of dairy products all over the world.
78
Milk is Good for Life
Vinita Agarwal
79
The Volvo Bus
In large parts of the world, a Volvo bus is simply a high-quality bus manufactured by the Swedish
company Volvo. In India, however, a Volvo Bus has a more complex meaning, being synonymous with
a vehicle for comfortable and luxurious long-haul road travel rather than the actual manufacturing.
Volvo being the primary choice for travelers, it is not uncommon to see buses of other manufacturing
decorated with hand-painted “Volvo” logos. This says a lot about the impact Volvo has had since their
arrival on the Indian bus market, altering the expectations of long-haul road travels. Gradually, the
Volvo Bus is also making its way into the expectations of city transports.
80
Standing Royale
Vishal Arora
81
Three-phase electrical system
Jonas Wenström
The Swedish engineer and inventor Jonas Wenström (1855-1893) developed the three phase electrical
system in 1890, combining the strengths of alternating current (to be transformed from low to high
voltage and distribution over distances) and direct current (to drive motors). His invention was used
in Sweden for the first time in 1893 and it was with his invention, the company ASEA (today ABB)
was founded. (Curiosity: In 1879, Wenström, who regularly exchanged letters with Thomas Edison,
wrote to his father: “Edison’s new invention of electric light, a glowing carbon strip, is the same
thing I invented a year ago.”)
82
Blown Away With the City of Lights
Kanchan Dhankani
83
Three-point Seat Belt
Nils Bohlin
The three-point seat belt was developed by Nils Bohlin (1920-2002), during his time as chief safety
engineer at the Swedish automotive company Volvo. The innovation was introduced 1959 and became
standard in all Volvo Cars in 1969. The three-point seat belt, for which the design has remained the
same since its first introduction, is estimated to have saved one human life every six minutes since its
first introduction!
84
Bless You
Souveek Bhattacharjee
85
Zipper
Gideon Sundbäck
The first functioning zipper was designed in year 1900 by Sweden-born inventor and industrialist
Gideon Sundbäck (1880-1954). Sundbäck was granted a patent for his design (two woven cotton bands
with metal teeth and a pull which could join or separate the teeth) in year 1914. By that time, Sundbäck
had migrated to the USA, where he established a factory for the production of his invention. The
only alteration of the zipper that has taken place since was in the 1970s, when the metal teeth were
replaced by plastic. However, the newer version does not match the qualities of the original design in
terms of durability, and still today, the majority of zippers are made of cotton and metal.
86
Swedish Mastery Zips an Indian Attire
Radha Ganesan
87
JURY
The photo contest “Swedish Innovations - Indian Interpretations”, which was organized as part of the
Sweden-India Nobel Memorial Week 2012, attracted over 450 entries from all around India. The ones
represented in this book, as well as the winner of the competition, have been selected by an independent
jury, composed of talented artists, photographers and curators, accompanied by representatives from the
Embassy of Sweden. Ensuring the perspectives of women and men, Indians and Swedes, people of different
ages, professions and backgrounds, the collective input of the jury has helped ensure the quality and
integrity of the selection of photos.
The members of the jury were the following:
Ajay Rajgarhia
Fine art photographer
Anushka Menon Commercial photographer
Atul Bakshi Glass artist
Pratiksha Apurv Artist
Rajeev Lochan Director National Gallery Of Modern Arts, New Delhi
Saloni Zaveri-Ahluwalia Embassy of Sweden
Sara Aulin Embassy of Sweden
Åke Peterson Embassy of Sweden
89
WINNER
The winner of the photo contest “Swedish Innovations – Indian Interpretations” is the Kolkata based
photo artist Abhijit Chakraborty. The jury’s motivation is that the photograph “Sharing the Music”, which
is an interpretation of the Swedish Internet music sharing service Spotify, is an exquisite combination
of composition and creativity. Working with the rudimentary, Abhijit Chakraborty has captured
the spirit and essence of a high-tech phenomenon and in many ways raised the bar, redefined and
deepened the concept of interpretations. And this, without compromising the balance and beauty.
Abhijit describes himself as a believer in truth, talent, realism and love. In his works, he often portrays
the people, culture and beauty of India, choosing titles that add additional artistic layers and stir
the audience to think. Abhijit, who works as a graphic designer, has had exhibitions both in India and
abroad and has had photo series published in national and international journals.
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Innovation: Spotify
Title: Sharing the Music
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PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aanchal Malhotra is born and raised in New Delhi
but moved to Canada in 2007. Currently she lives in Montreal,
Quebec where she’s working on her MFA in Studio Arts at Concordia
University. She works mainly with traditional printmaking, as
well as with photography and writing/poetry.
Hari Kumar is currently working as a creative head at his own
independent ad agency. He is interested in storytelling, which
he expresses through his photographs. He has also written four
screenplays and directed four short films, one of which was
selected for an international film fest.
Abdullah Qureshi is a student at Delhi University. He is
an amateur photographer who wants to pursue photography
professionally. He believes in hard work and always gives his
utmost to achieve good results. This applies to all areas of his life.
Joydeep Mukherjee stepped into the world of photography
in 2002. He believes that an artist’s work must consistently be
good to be considered as art. Besides photography, Joydeep is
interested in various kinds of sports, trekking and travelling.
Abhijit Chakraborty is a graphic designer from West
Bengal. A student from the National Academy of Photography
who loves to work on different photo stories. The current
photograph interests are all about India, her people, culture and
religion. He has exhibited his work around the world and earned
several national and international awards.
Kanchan Dhankani is a person full of thoughts and
enthusiasm. She is working as a graphic designer and has earned
awards for her work in the field. Kanchan believes that design
is thinking made visual. She also thinks that design is about
observing the world around us.
Amitava Chandra is employed with the Government
of India, in the Revenue department. He is passionate about
photography, and through his camera lens he explores the reality
to abstract, from tangible to intangible.
Anunay Arora is a business graduate from the University
of Delhi, specializing in finance. He is a hobbyist photographer
with an interest in theatre, sports and social change. He believes
that photography is a strong medium for storytelling, and building
empathy, cohesiveness and driving change across the world.
Apoorv Tomar is an Architect and Communication
Designer. He currently works as a cross-disciplinary designer
where he mainly deals with projects merging between graphic
design and spaces. Apoorv is always passionate to communicate
ideas through still / moving images.
Chandan Dey has through his photographs earned lots
of awards around the world. Since 1999 he has been receiving
recognitions from various national and international salons and
competitions. In 2008 he was honored with EFIAP distinction by
the Federation International Art Photography.
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Manas Kumar Panda is a free-lance Photographer
specializing in still photography, shooting videos at events and
for documentaries. He works with a studio in Bhubaneshwar. He
hails from a small district 60 kms from Bhubaneshwar.
Mihir Misra first picked up the camera during school but
gave it up that time because of the analog technology. The
advent of the digital technology gave Mihir a new chance with
photography. His schooling as an architect enabled an eye for
graphic simplicity which has become his signature style. Mihir
calls his work a mission towards making the ordinary, look
extraordinary.
Mohit Kansal is an architect by profession, and photographer
by passion. In his photographs, he tries to capture the beautiful
details of nature and mankind and portray mundane life in an
interesting manner.
Prachi Singh is a newly graduated knitwear designer from
the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Delhi. She loves all
creative things and specially photography, which is a feeling for
her, an expression of how she sees the world.
Priyanka Parkar is a graduate with a master in chemical
engineering, working as a research analyst in Mumbai. In her
spare time, she experiments with photography and film, with the
objective of at one point merging her professional career with
her free time passion.
Radha Ganesan is working as an educator for an NGO in
Bangalore. Photography is her passionate hobby.
Samrat Mukhopadhyay is a faculty with IIT Delhi. As
an engineering teacher he always tries to communicate the
importance of innovations. Photography is Samrat´s passion and
he loves to capture the story of human life.
Sanjit Das is a self-taught photographer based in New Delhi.
His photos document India’s rapid transformation with a focus
on the people, especially on the women and children, who are
living through the changes. In 2007, Sanjit was featured in a book
showcasing contemporary Indian artists.
Sanyam Bajaj is a final year Bachelor student in Business
Economics at Delhi University. He loves to play football and is
passionate about photography, especially street photography.
Some of his works have been exhibited abroad.
Somennath
Mukhopadhyay
is
an
amateur
photographer and a teacher by profession. He prefers to
capture people and culture, environment issues, etc. His
photos have earned him several international photography
awards.
designers, organizations and institutions. Sreejith claims to have
a modern eclectic style that brings together the best of Indian
with modern design.
Sudipto Das is a self-taught photographer working as
a senior photojournalist. He has been working for national
and international organizations and newspapers. Sudipto has
received several international awards and has portrayed his
works in exhibitions around the world.
Supriya Biswas is trying to portrait honest depiction of
human life through his camera lens. His images have been are
shown around the world and Supriya has contributed photos
to many magazines and won several national and international
awards.
Swati Dayani is a last year MBA student of the Jamnalal Bajaj
Institute of Management Studies in Mumbai, who in her spare
time explores the world of photography.
Vinita Agarwal works as a branch manager for Thomas
Cook travel company. She expresses multiple reasons for loving
Sweden, one of them being family ties.
Vishal Arora works as a solution architect for wireless
networking. Photography is his passion which he carries along
with his profession.
Souveek Bhattacharjee views visuals as his best friend.
He has been working with TV and film production for over a
decade. At present, he is on an independent and meaningful
journey creating audio-visuals with the plan to contribute a little
to the social sector.
Sreejith Jeevan is an alumnus of the NID, Ahmedabad,
specialized in textile design. Currently he works for IKEA and he
has also been part of various design and teaching projects with
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