Gazing at the star-studded night and looking back into the past has always invoked a sense of amusement. So did the ancient people from India, with no or little technological support, come up with abstract and fantastic concepts in every field known to humankind. Science has been a part of Indian culture for centuries. It has amazed the modern world by providing accurate astronomical distance, the most precise speed of light in those times and has given the world abstract mathematical concepts and tools.
I have always taken pride in reciting the glorious and significant achievements made by ancient India. Science and technology in ancient and medieval India covered all the major branches of human knowledge and activities, like astronomy, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medical science and surgery, fine arts, production technology and mechanics, shipbuilding and navigation, civil engineering and architecture, sports and games. Ancient India was a land of sages, saints and seers, and a land of scholars and scientists.
So, here are some contributions to humanity by ancient India. Mathematics represents the level of abstraction a human brain can attain, the roots of which can be found in the Vedic literature from 4000 years ago. Geometrical theories were well known in ancient India as these are evident from the floral and geometrical patterns on temple walls and pillars. The concept of “sunya”, the void or the zero and the development of algebraic theories by Aryabhatta was all part of Indian mathematics. Pancha Siddhantika, meaning the five principles which document the method of graduation calculation, was born in India. Another Indian mathematician of the 12th century, Bhaskaracharya, in one of his works called Siddantha Shiromani, gave the basic idea of Rolle’s theorem and was the first to conceive differential calculus. The concept of calculus is found in Yuktibhasa, which Leibnitz and Newton could only find 300 years later. India’s progress in Astronomy was well known and well documented. The earliest found reference is in Rig Veda, dated around 2000 BC. Astronomical principles were borrowed to explain matters and predict horoscopes. The science of astronomy was evolving and developing independently to give fantastic results. India was the first nation to calculate the earth’s radius to an accurate value, to determine the circumference of earth, argue that the sun was at the center of the solar system, and was in perpetuity to determine the number of planets in the solar system. There were continual efforts to come up with the theory of gravitation.
Philosophy and science are intertwined. Ancient Indian philosophers believed that elements could be classified into Prithvi, Agni, Vayu, Jaal and Aksha, which symbolize the earth, fire, air, water and space respectively. They believed that matter was made of paramanu, which means ‘the ultimate atom’, which cannot be further divided and is the fundamental unit. There are various texts describing the abstract idea of the atom in Indian literature. Ayurveda consists of two Sanskrit words, ‘Ayur’ and ‘Veda’, meaning ‘life’ and ‘knowledge’—the science of medicine owes its origin to ancient India. It has been in practice since 300 BC. Unlike allopathy and homeopathy, it relies on herbal medicine, using extracts of several medicinal plants. Charaka-Samahita remained the standard textbook in Ayurveda for almost 2000 years and has been translated to different languages.The text also describes digestion, metabolism, immunity and covers information about embryology and aetiology. Charaka also mentions the preliminary concept of genetics in his treatise.
Surgeries in India date back to 800 BC. Sushruta, a medical theoretician and practitioner, has written a medical compendium that describes at least seven branches of surgery: excision, scarification, puncturing, exploration, extraction, evacuation, and suturing. Sushruta also focused on the study of the human anatomy by using a dead body. Yoga is a system of exercise for physical and mental nourishment. The origins of yoga are shrouded in antiquity and mystery. Thousands of years before, the principles and practice of yoga had crystallized, but it was only around 200 BC that Patanjali collected all the fundamentals of Yoga in his treatise named Yogasutra.
Mohenjodaro and Harappan civilizations reflect upon the reality that ancient India was proficient in civil engineering and architecture. Also, the science of shipbuilding and navigation was familiar to ancient Indians. Ancient India was also a land of great universities. Scholars from all over the world came to Nalanda and Takshashila universities to gain knowledge and expertise.
But when one looks back at our ancestors’ glorious past, where does India stand in today’s world? What happened to India? Being the second-most populous country globally, India is not even providing 3% of the scientific research worldwide. Why?
The downfall of scientific advancement in India was due to multiple reasons, including frequent invasions by foreign rulers causing lots of destruction. This led to political instability, which disturbed the scientific insight in the country. In the pre-colonial era, people were satisfied with their simple agro-based life. They did not feel the need for innovation and invention. Casteism also worsened the situation, allowing only a particular group of people to gain knowledge and expertise in elite subjects. The upper caste prohibited the lower community from participating in them, leading to a significant loss of talent. And then the British took over the nation and completely ruined the scientific and cultural advancements, exploited the country’s resources, exported raw materials like iron, cotton and wood to make finished products in Britain. They also secretly conveyed our art of surgery and astronomical theories for research to universities in Britain.
Why do we still lag behind? The main fault is with the current education system in India. In most parts of the country, children are encouraged to engage in rote learning rather than understanding. Due to hefty competition and limited resources, children are taught to earn marks, not knowledge. Many teachers fail miserably to ignite a fire inside the child’s mind and create a scientific temper, a thirst for knowledge. Another critical factor is the lack of research and innovation. Over 1.5 million engineering graduates are produced in India every year but some leave for abroad searching for better opportunities and pay, while others do not add value to present achievements due to lack of proper guidance and infrastructure.
Now the question arises, how do we overcome these shortcomings and find a way back? The way to revival will not be a cakewalk; it’s going to be hard and will consume a considerable amount of time. One of the most significant steps to improve sci-tech education is by reforming the syllabus and curriculum and uplifting it to international standards. In addition, concept building should be encouraged rather than rote learning. The other steps include promoting research in colleges and universities. This can be done by providing fellowships and ensuring a proper patent system where people get due credit for their work. India should start indigenous production; it should produce its own defence equipment, satellites and industrial machines.
The current government has already taken a few actions in line with the above solutions. The result is noticeable in terms of India’s improving rank and image as the most attractive investment destinations for technology transactions globally. India has shown improvement in R&D ranking and is one the most prominent countries having start-ups every year. In the present scenario, research and innovation are promoted extensively. MHRD and the Ministry of Science and Technology collaborate to encourage schemes like the Prime Minister Research Fellowship, IMPRINT, Atal Innovation Mission and Innovate India. We are moving towards building a self-reliant India. The advancements in nanotechnology are expected to transform the pharmaceutical industries in India.
There is a long way ahead to become a developed country, to bring back the striking and influential scientific discoveries and studies and bring back the country’s glory. We need to work at the primary level starting from the proper deliverance of scientific education to our youth and future generation, who are the torchbearers of India’s fate as a sci-tech power. So let us all join hands and work towards the progress of our nation. Remember, we have an enormous human resource, and if used fruitfully, together, we can create history.
-Aishwarya K, B’20
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