In a case of viral misinformation turned inspiration, recent social media buzz claimed that a young boy from Bihar, India, named Avnish Kumar had built a flying plane from scrap in just 7 days for ₹7,000. However, fact-checks have now confirmed that the real innovator is Julhas Molla, a self-taught mechanic from Manikganj, Bangladesh, who spent nearly four years building the aircraft from discarded materials.
Julhas Molla’s journey is one of persistence and passion, not overnight magic. With no formal training in aeronautics, he designed and built a small aircraft prototype using salvaged parts from motorcycles and local machinery. His total expenditure was around 8 lakh Bangladeshi taka (~₹6.5 lakh), and his test flights reportedly reached altitudes of about 50 feet—a remarkable feat in grassroots innovation.
Social media quickly latched onto the story, falsely crediting a teenager in Bihar and compressing the timeline to just a week. Multiple credible news outlets have debunked this narrative, confirming the video footage and engineering work originated in Bangladesh, not India.
Julhas’s work shines a light on the potential of rural inventors who, despite lacking access to formal labs or advanced resources, manage to build working models through sheer creativity and grit. At the same time, this case underscores the importance of verifying viral claims to ensure rightful credit is given where it is due.
Julhas Molla’s aircraft may not yet be airworthy by international standards, but his journey is already lifting spirits—and hopes—across borders.
