The Great Indian Scientists

- Ribhu Chawla

Aryabhatta 1Earth’s Rotational Time

• At age of 23, noted down the observations and calculations for a mathematical system to figure out the working of universe

• In his book, stated Earth was Spherical in shape, rotate on its axis and like other planets, revolve around sun in elliptical orbit.

Aryabhatta 1Earth’s Rotational Time

• This happened 1500 year and 2000 year before Copernicus and Galileo.

• He also calculated that the Earth takes 23 hours 56 minutes and 4.01 sec to complete one rotation.

• Modern value of this is 23:56:4.091

• And… he also gave Zero

BhramaGUptaRules for Zero

• Bhramahupta gave zero its exalted status as a number in mathematics.

• He framed rules of operations• In his book, Bhramasphuta

Siddhanta, he explained addition or subtraction of zero

• To any quantity leaves it unchanged. Product of any quantity with zero leaves zero and division of any quantity by zero is infinity

Nagarjuna 1Discovery of alloys

• Discovered process of alloying in 2nd BC.

• His book Rasarathnakara, retains notes on process of extraction of silver, tin and copper from their ores and their purification.

• Also mentioned process of distillation, sublimation, calcination and coloring of metals.

KanadaProponent of Atomic Theory

• Stated that, Everything in this world is made up of pramanu [atom], the real entities which are obtained when a matter is divided and subdivided until further division is not possible.

• It believed that kanada was the earliest proponent of atomic concept in universe.

• Just 2500 years before John Dalton.

baudhayanaPythagoras Theorem

• Stated that, The areas [of the squares] produced separately by the lengths of the breadth of a rectangle together equal the area [of the square] produced by the diagonal.

• Sounds Familiar ? Eventually today known as Pythagoras theorem.

• Seidenberg (1983) argued that "Old Babylonia got the theorem of Pythagoras from India” 

vaharamihiraMapping the Skies

• He put forward that we would notice that sky is slowly shifting backward with each progressing a year.

• He was the first one to mention shifting of equinox is 50.32 sec. which remain unchanged till today.

• This help us chart and navigate skies at night or day, learn about our horoscope for years and keep track of our favorite constellations.

Bhaskara iiGravity

• He was first to conceive and write on the notion of gravity and effort of its force

• In his book, Surya Sidhanta, he mentioned : objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth. Planets, Constellations, moon and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction

• This happened 500 years before the famous apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton’s head.

Bhaskara iiGravity

• He was first to conceive and write on the notion of gravity and effort of its force

• This happened 500 years before the famous apple fell on Sir Isaac Newton’s head.

• In his book, Surya Sidhanta, he mentioned : objects fall on earth due to a force of attraction by the earth. Therefore, the earth. Planets, Constellations, moon and sun are held in orbit due to this attraction

SushrutaPlastic Surgery

• 2600 years ago, Sushruta along with his collegues repaired the disfigured nose with a flap of skin fro forehead, a practice almost unchanged to this day.

• In his book, Sushruta Samhita, he descibes over 120 surgical instruments, 300 surgery procedures and classifies human surgery in eight categories.

• Don’t worry about pain, local anesthesia was given in form of medicated wine.

Conclusion

• Indians were much better when there was no comparison, no insecurity and no inferiority complex.

• We are the people who discovered things 200-1000 years before rest of the world. All that is needed is self-belief and dedication

“Proud to be Indian”