INDIA AND WORLD SCIENCE

                                          (The contribution of India in world Science)

                    - Aria Bawitlung  
      

            I’m trying to write something a remarkable and valuable. Well!! Eventhough I was never good in writing, I am trying to put down a few words for all about India and its gigantic footprint in the world science and present situation.

            Where we are and where are we now? Now, I will try to be very brief eventhough we are covering more than four thousand years for experiments, inventions and discoveries.

            Indian scientists have made numerous path-breaking discoveries in the field of science. They have excelled in various field of science like mathematics, astronomy, botany, space science, chemistry, etc.

            India is considered as one of the scientific power house in the world since ancient period. It has been scientifically advanced for several centuries now and the Indian scientists have made numerous path-breaking discoveries in the field of science. They have also made India proud with their scientific achievements, and Indian scientists have received international awards as well. Their discoveries have also been appreciated all over the world.

In ancient India, the Vedic Science is considered the richest and most comprehensive science of ancient India. The Vedic sciences include several branches like astronomy, medicine, space science, mathematics and there were a number of Indian scientists who studied and enhanced Vedic science. While Aryabhatta define the shape of earth to be round in 499 A.D., Charaka and Sushruta, who contributed mainly to the field of Plastic and Cataract surgery largely contributed in the development of Ayurveda.

            The ancient Indian scientists and scholars developed geometric theorem many years before Pythagoras did in the six century B.C. They also used advanced method for determining the numbers of mathematical combination by the second century B.C. The Indian scientists have also started to use ten numerals by the fifth century A.D., and by the seventh century B.C., they started treating zero as a number. The others mathematical inventions like the conceptualization of square, rectangle, circle, triangle, fractions; the ability to express the number ten to the twelfth power, algebraic formulas and astronomy had also been describe in Vedic science.

                            

            In medieval period the Indian scientists continued discovering newer scientific and mathematical concepts in the Harappan and medieval period as well. The discoveries of the Indian scientist were practically applied for brick and pottery making, metal casting, hydraulics, the development of a lunar calendar, etc., during the Harappan period. In the medieval period, the Muslim ruler of India including the Mughals also patronized the Indian scientist to make new discoveries. The Mughals also spread their inventions all over the world.

            In the colonial period the Indian scientists contributed to several new scientific developments during the British period and the developments added to the indigenous achievement of the previous millennia. During the British rule, the Indian scientists took up a new role of the assisting the European in their scientific explorations and research. However, there were many Indian scientists who worked independently and made important scientific discoveries.

            The Indian scientists made many pioneering discoveries during the first half of twentieth century that include the discoveries of life in plant, Raman Effect, The Raman-Nath Theory, the application of electromagnetic waves to wireless telegraphy, the ionization theory, etc. Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman Jagadish Chandra Bose, Prafulla Chandra Ray, S. Ramanujan etc., were some of the most notable Indian scientist during that period.

            In the independent of India, the scientists were started to explore newer fields of science like positron theory, cosmic rays, nuclear science, biotechnology, astrophysics, liquid crystal, condensed matter of physics and many more.

            The Government of India has also provided necessary financial support to the Indian scientist to continue their research works. Some of the prominent and famous Indian scientists in the contemporary period include the father of Indian Space Programme, Vikram Sarabhai, Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhaba, Dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, APJ Abdul Kalam, etc.

            The Indian scientists have been honored and praised in the international arena in many occasions and they are also being honored at present. The Indian scientists can be easily called as some of the brightest talents India has ever produced.

            I confidently say that India as a nuclear Country, and still is never considered a small country in the field of science; the world will never forget the rich contribution of India in science for the creation of modern world.

            In military science, India has developed top class missile; it has its own world class jet-fighters, Ships and Submarines; it creates its own high class arms and ammunitions, tanks which are all greatly demanded in the international market.

            Over 35% of NASA employees are contributed by India. It already gave its signature in space exploration. Miss Sunita William, the women who stayed in space for the longest period is also an Indian blood.

            I firmly believe that eventhough we are no dwarf in world science, we definitely can be a giant in the near future if we try, because I believe we can.