Ataullah Khan Ozai‐Durrani (1898–2 May 1964) was an Afghan inventor, known for inventing a method for creating instant rice. Ozai-Durrani sold this process to General Foods, which marketed it as Minute Rice: the first quick-cooking convenience white rice product on the US market.[1]
Biographyedit
Ataullah Khan Ozai‐Durrani, a relative of the king of Afghanistan, was born in Herat in 1898. He studied petrochemistry in Europe and immigrated to the United States in 1923.[2]
In 1939, after years of home laboratory experiments and studying rice at the New York Public Library, Ozai-Durrani devised a method of preparing quick-cooking rice by cooking grains of rice, then drying them and packaging the dried rice in boxes.[3] H. K. Smith, the manager of the Arkansas Rice Growers Collective, let Ozai-Durrani set up another lab in their growing area. In 1941, Ozai-Durrani walked into the New York City offices of General Foods with a portable stove and kit to demonstrate this rice-cooking method.[4] General Foods bought the product for several million dollars, making Ozia-Durrani instantly wealthy.[5]
Ozai-Durrani married Louisa Ebbs Harrison of Denver, Colorado; the two later divorced.[3]
Ozai-Durrani died on 2 May 1964 in Englewood, Colorado of lung cancer.[3] In his will, he left $30,000 to Louisiana State University to commission "an encyclopedic text" about rice, and over $500,000 to "Harvard University or such non-profit institution" for research and biographies of 19th-century Iranian poets Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghabil and Mir Taqui Mir, as well as translation of their work into English.[6] Ozai-Durrani wrote in his will that the bequest was in memory of scholar and ambassador Syud Hossain. The New Yorker wrote of the bequest: "We take note here of the late Mr. Ozai-Durrani's handsome bequest, and feel the richer for it."[7] Harvard would use the money to appoint Annemarie Schimmel as Professor of Indo-Muslim Studies and to commission two books by Ralph Russell and Khurshidul Islam: Three Mughal Poets: Mir, Sauda, Mir Hasan (1968) and Ghalib 1797–1869: Life and Letters (1969).[5]
Referencesedit
^Handbook on Rice Cultivation and Processing. NIIR Project Consultancy Services. October 2007. ISBN9788190568524. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Baden, John K. "Through Disconnection and Revival: Afghan American Relations With Afghanistan, 1890–2016". ohiolink.edu. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^ abc"A. K. Ozai-Durrani, Made 'Minute Rice'". The New York Times. 5 May 1964. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Rolfes, Hans G. (2007). General Foods: America's Premier Food Company. Hudson House. ISBN9781587768705. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^ abOzai-Durrani, Ataullah K. Encyclopedia Iranica. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Lelyveld, Joseph (19 June 1964). "Inventor Leaves Half Million for Translation of 2 Persian Poets". The New York Times. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
^Arlen, Michael J. (3 July 1964). "Comment". The New Yorker. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
May 17, 2024
ataullah, ozai, durrani, ataullah, khan, ozai, durrani, 1898, 1964, afghan, inventor, known, inventing, method, creating, instant, rice, ozai, durrani, sold, this, process, general, foods, which, marketed, minute, rice, first, quick, cooking, convenience, whit. Ataullah Khan Ozai Durrani 1898 2 May 1964 was an Afghan inventor known for inventing a method for creating instant rice Ozai Durrani sold this process to General Foods which marketed it as Minute Rice the first quick cooking convenience white rice product on the US market 1 Biography editAtaullah Khan Ozai Durrani a relative of the king of Afghanistan was born in Herat in 1898 He studied petrochemistry in Europe and immigrated to the United States in 1923 2 In 1939 after years of home laboratory experiments and studying rice at the New York Public Library Ozai Durrani devised a method of preparing quick cooking rice by cooking grains of rice then drying them and packaging the dried rice in boxes 3 H K Smith the manager of the Arkansas Rice Growers Collective let Ozai Durrani set up another lab in their growing area In 1941 Ozai Durrani walked into the New York City offices of General Foods with a portable stove and kit to demonstrate this rice cooking method 4 General Foods bought the product for several million dollars making Ozia Durrani instantly wealthy 5 Ozai Durrani married Louisa Ebbs Harrison of Denver Colorado the two later divorced 3 Ozai Durrani died on 2 May 1964 in Englewood Colorado of lung cancer 3 In his will he left 30 000 to Louisiana State University to commission an encyclopedic text about rice and over 500 000 to Harvard University or such non profit institution for research and biographies of 19th century Iranian poets Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghabil and Mir Taqui Mir as well as translation of their work into English 6 Ozai Durrani wrote in his will that the bequest was in memory of scholar and ambassador Syud Hossain The New Yorker wrote of the bequest We take note here of the late Mr Ozai Durrani s handsome bequest and feel the richer for it 7 Harvard would use the money to appoint Annemarie Schimmel as Professor of Indo Muslim Studies and to commission two books by Ralph Russell and Khurshidul Islam Three Mughal Poets Mir Sauda Mir Hasan 1968 and Ghalib 1797 1869 Life and Letters 1969 5 References edit Handbook on Rice Cultivation and Processing NIIR Project Consultancy Services October 2007 ISBN 9788190568524 Retrieved 27 February 2023 Baden John K Through Disconnection and Revival Afghan American Relations With Afghanistan 1890 2016 ohiolink edu Retrieved 27 February 2023 a b c A K Ozai Durrani Made Minute Rice The New York Times 5 May 1964 Retrieved 27 February 2023 Rolfes Hans G 2007 General Foods America s Premier Food Company Hudson House ISBN 9781587768705 Retrieved 27 February 2023 a b Ozai Durrani Ataullah K Encyclopedia Iranica Retrieved 27 February 2023 Lelyveld Joseph 19 June 1964 Inventor Leaves Half Million for Translation of 2 Persian Poets The New York Times Retrieved 27 February 2023 Arlen Michael J 3 July 1964 Comment The New Yorker Retrieved 27 February 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ataullah K Ozai Durrani amp oldid 1145893688, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
