Death of John Sheppard-Barron - Inventor of ATM

It is sad to know about the demise of John Sheppard Barron who invented Automated Teller Machine (ATMs) in 1960s. It is interesting to know that he was born in Shillong as quoted by the Shillong Times (English Daily) on 24th May 2010, page 3 under Shillong Jottings.  It read as -

ATM inventor John Sheppard-Barron died recently at the age of 84. Though his death may not be a matter of great loss for us here in Shillong, it is interesting to know that this great soul was actually born here. His Scottish father was the chief engineer of Chittagong Port Commissioners while his mother was a tennis player. He got the idea of a cash dispenser while lying in his bath after finding his bank closed in 1965. That’s how the ATM was conceived. And indeed it is one of the greatest inventions of all times. Thanks to the ATM, today we do not need to carry cash around even while travelling. It is easier to draw smaller amounts from ATMs and deal with our purchases. Moreover, ATM cards are today accepted as legal tender in most stores. Humankind has indeed come a long way from the days of bartering.

May his soul rests in peace.... Shillong is really a Scotland of the East...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Discontinuance of Money Order Service by India Post

Image
[this letter is written by me to my daughter, Ashi, which I thought I should share with all] 1.4.15/Guwahati Airport Dear Ashi Today while reading a newspaper at Guwahati airport I read a news item that the department of posts ( India Post ), Government of India is closing down more than 100 years old money order service from 1st April 2015. I just thought since you have never seen anybody using this service today or used this service anytime yourself, you may not know its importance in the life of an individual in the yester years. So I thought to let you know this whole story and our experience and how important it used to be in our lives of which you are an important part today. Money Order was a service through which money could be sent to the addressee through hand. What was required was that you go to your nearby post office, fill up the form on both the sides on which you were suppose to put name and address of the person to whom you wanted money to be delivered,
Read more

Punjab or Panjab

'पापा ये स्पेलिंग गलत है' (this spelling is wrong papa).  My ten year old daughter was questioning me when I wrote Panjab University in my diary. 'ये Punjab होना चाहिए, Panjab नहीं'  I told her, Panjab is correct as the university is using it.  She shrugged her shoulders as she was not at all convinced.  She has been reading in her books the spelling as Punjab and not Panjab.  I also thought for a while and agreed at the back of my mind that yes she is right, but I also knew that the university writes it as Panjab and may be officially the name of the state is accepted as Punjab so that way Punjab should be correct spelling. We have been discussing the issue of ethics, values and morality.  The debate and discussion on what is right and what is wrong, what is correct and what is incorrect, has been very interesting in last two days.  But my daughter's question kept me thinking and I was following the pronunciation of people vigilantly.  I in fact never question
Read more

My Manipur Diary

Image
It was a learning experience visiting Manipur during 10-12 May 2010.  Thanks to Rajmani who could make my maiden visit possible to Imphal (Manipur).  I was skeptical after receiving the invitation whether should I go or leave it as Manipur is one of the most disturbed state in India and so much so for the North-East India.  There have been militants' attack and agitations against the government as well as the military setup specially on the Assam Rifles.  There have been cases of innocent killings by Assam Rifles which has instigated the public to go against this force. Recently NSCN leader Muivah's visit has been the issue of distress and disturbance in Manipur.  Muivah, a known NSCN leader who had talks with the union home minister (P Chidambaram) and other inportant leaders in New Delhi, who agreed and allowed him to visit his home village situated in a district called Ukhrool in Manipur.  The demands of NSCN have been primarily establishment of greater Nagaland which shoul
Read more