Acoustic pioneer and inventor dies

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Amar Bose

Amar G. Bose, the Indian-American visionary entrepreneur and acoustics pioneer, famous for making high-fidelity Bose audio systems and speakers for homes, auditoriums and automobiles, has died. He was 83.

Bose’s death was announced by his company Bose Corp’s president, Bob Maresca, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where Bose was on the faculty for over 40 years. “We are deeply saddened to announce that Dr Amar Bose has passed away,” Maresca said.
Bose died on Friday at his home in Wayland, Massachusetts. His death was confirmed by his son, Dr Vanu G Bose. “Dr Bose founded Bose Corporation almost 50 years ago with a set of guiding principles that never changed and never will. Bose Corporation will remain privately held, and stay true to his ideals,” Maresca said in a statement. “We are committed to this as he was to us. His vision is our history, and our future, and Bose Corporation will forever be his company,” Maresca said. “Amar Bose was an exceptional human being and an extraordinarily gifted leader,” MIT president L. Rafael Reif said.
“This proud MIT graduate, professor and innovator was a true giant who over decades enriched the Institute he loved with his energy, dedication, motivation and wisdom. I have never known anyone like him. I will miss him. MIT will miss him. The world will miss him,” Reif said.
Bose was born on November 2, 1929, in Philadelphia. His father, Noni Gopal Bose, was a Bengali freedom fighter who was studying physics at the Calcutta University when he was arrested and imprisoned for his opposition to British rule. Noni Gopal Bose escaped and fled to the US in 1920, where he married an American schoolteacher.
At 13, Amar Bose began repairing radio sets for pocket money for repair shops in Philadelphia. As founder and chairman of the privately held company, Bose focused relentlessly on acoustic engineering innovation. His speakers, though expensive, earned a reputation for bringing concert-hall-quality audio into the home. In 2010, Bose Corp. Reported revenue of more than $2 billion. Two years ago, Bose had donated most of the stock in his company to MIT. And by refusing to offer stock to the public, Bose was able to pursue risky long-term research, such as noise- cancelling headphones and an innovative suspension system for cars.