Nov 22, 2017 | 17:17 IST | Times Now Digital |
Image Credit: Facebook/Tirthak Saha
New Delhi: Everyone knows Mark Zuckerberg, Malala Yousafzai, Michael Phelps but not many know of the Delhi boy who has joined the great names in the Forebes’ 30 under 30 list. Introducing Tirthak Saha, the Delhi boy who aspired to study Astrophysics but failed to make it to Delhi University by a few irrelevant percentage. Not giving up, he reached out to pursue his dreams. From that to an entry in the coveted Forebe’s list of 30 under 30, here is all about the 25 year old electrical engineer and his contribution. The 25 year old’s journey from Delhi to US, where he now lives and works is all about determination of pursuing the dreams and taking life one step at a time. His father is a government school teacher and his mother is a postal department employee. After class 10th, his mother recalls in her interview with TOI, he did not get the right guidance. The dip in class 12 marks dashed his hopes of finding place in the coveted Delhi University or making it to IIT Delhi. While they did consider dropping a year and gunning for IIT Delhi, his parents decided that there ought to be another way.
Choosing the road less travelled, his father Pradip Saha shared, “We decided that IIT was not the only avenue and there were other institutions offering similar standards of learning.” Tirthak then enrolled in the electrical engineering course at Manipal University’s International Centre for Applied Science. Determined to make the most of what he had, he worked hard and was chosen to study at Drexel University in Philadelphia on a scholarship. And the universe fell in place. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Science from Drexel University. With opportunities available, he designed an origami-based modular solar panel array for mini satellites while doing a stint at NASA Pennsylvania Space Grant. Luck favours the prepared mind and he was picked by Americal Electric Power, AEP. The company was in a lookout for someone who could innovate their power grid system, the company, on meeting Tirthak, created a post for him, that of Grid Modernisation Engineer.
While working he has been involved in the research work on power generation and distribution, which has won him the recognition by Forbes. He believes that power is not a luxury but a right. At present, his work involves incorporating innovations and smart grid technology to the ageing grids across US. Competing for an innovation challenge at AEP, Saha worked on a Tirthak remembered the electricity blackout in Delhi and most of north India in July 2012. “It was a tipping point, I guess. I believe power should not be a luxury but a basic right of life,” he said. Explaining his work, he said that the ageing electric grids in US were nearly a century old and hadn’t seen much innovation and he was incorporating smart grid technology to make AEP’s grid safer and more reliable. In a recent innovation challenge held by AEP, Saha presented a project which is to create a virtual power plant-like linked network of behind-the-meter energy storage units in order to realise benefits of energy aggregation. The project was judged second and was the catatlyst that landed him the coveted place in the Forbes’ list. – Courtesy
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