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Optical physics

Optical physics

Vidya Deepa: the lamp of knowledge

25 Jun 2015

The simple act of turning on a light to continue studying after sunset is a standard solution for many students around the world. But for the approximately 1.5 billion people who live outside of electricity grids, this is a luxury they do not necessarily have. Instead, many students in the developing world have been forced to use kerosene lanterns that are inefficient, expensive to fuel and a fire hazard, not to mention the toxic fumes they produce that can be lethal.

Fortunately, in recent years an alternative solution has arrived in the form of LED lanterns, which can be far safer and more sustainable. This short film takes you to a small rural community in the Indian state of Karnataka where a school has been issuing students with these LED lights free of charge, supported by the Srivali Trust. Homes in this community do not always have a steady supply of electricity, which has caused students to strain their eyes while attempting to study by candlelight.

It is an inspiring short documentary, produced by Indian filmmaker Maithili Padukone, which explores the impacts of these LED lights on the students, many of whom are the children of farmers, potters and fishermen. India is home to an estimated one third of those people in the world who live outside of electricity grids.

This is film number three in a series we have commissioned for the International Year of Light (IYL2015), with each film telling local stories involving light and its applications and how they can affect people’s lives. The first film in the series followed an amateur astronomer seeking out a patch of dark sky amid the dazzling lights of New York City. The second was a film about the role of light in regulating sleep cycles and how this regular pattern has been significantly disrupted in a British woman who had her eyes removed.

  • To find out more about light and its applications, take a look at the March special issue of Physics World. If you’re a member of the Institute of Physics (IOP), you can get immediate access to the special issue about light in our lives with the digital edition of the magazine on your desktop via MyIOP.org or on any iOS or Android smartphone or tablet via the Physics World app, available from the App Store and Google Play. If you’re not yet in the IOP, you can join as an IOPimember for just £15, €20 or $25 a year to get full digital access to Physics World.

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