Indians are well known throughout the world for their numerous achievements and innovations. None can deny the fact that India has got some of the best potentials in this planet. We have been the pioneers in bringing some of the most exciting scientific inventions and discoveries well before rest of the world had any idea about those. Let’s review some of the most notable discoveries, Indians are credited with.
Wireless Communication / Radio
Indian Inventor: Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose
Western Inventor: Marconi
While the entire world talks about Marconi and credits him with the invention of wireless telecommunication, the technology emerged from our own backyard only.
Radio or Wireless Technology is the actual brainchild of none other than the Indian scientist and mathematician, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose. This remarkable breakthrough was achieved by Sir Bose on course of his extensive research carried out in the area of Microwaves. He went on to generate extremely short waves and also brought in some considerable modifications on Hertz’s detector of electronic waves. Sir J.C Bose also fashioned a flash of radiation, capable of generating waves of about half an inch. The receiver was pretty sensitive and it did respond to even the slightest of reactions.
Of course, it’s Marconi who provided newer and finer dimension to this entire technology. But the world witnessed the power of telecommunications via Sir J.C Bose, much before Marconi could come up with the re-defined stuff.
In-vitro Fertilization
Indian Inventor: Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay
Western Inventor: Dr. Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe
In-vitro Fertilization ( IVF), the much talked about birth procedure of modern age, was an artifact of another Indian scientist Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay. Indian reproductive biologist, Dr. T.C Anand Kumar while turning over the pages of Dr. Subhash Mukherjee, got familiar with the efforts put in by the latter to script a new chapter in the history of Indian medical science. In fact, Dr. Kumar played a key role in throwing new lights to the whole concept of test tube baby. The efforts put in by Dr. Mukherjee resulted in the birth of India’s first test tube baby, Kanupriya Agarwal. Since she was born on the first day of Durga Puja, she was also named as ‘Durga’.
Kanupriya alias Durga is employed in a Multinational Company based in Delhi as a Marketing Executive. She also spoke out for the first time in public about her real identity dismissing all allegations of her ‘creator’s claim as bogus.
Atom
Indian Inventor: Maharshi Kanad
Western Inventor: John Dalton
Way long before John Dalton propounded his theories and came in with the concept of Atom, Maharshi Kanad, who is considered as the First Nuclear Scientist of India made his mark.
Maharishi Kanad’s theories date way back to second century. In the book Darshan-Grantha, one can find a well written description of Kanad’s concept of Atoms. It was Kanad, who first opined that elements are formed mainly because of electrons arranged in a specific and synchronized manner.The world might recognize John Dalton as the father of atomic theory, but we definitely can’t take anything away from Maharishi Kanad.
Heliocentric Theory
Indian Inventor: Aryabhatta
Western Inventor: Copernicus
Widely considered as the father of Indian Astronomy, Aryabhatta came up with the notion that planets move in an axis around the sun. This very theory later went on to become famous as Heliocentric Theory, with further details and explanations inked by Copernicus.
Aryabhatta’s limited access to technology and infrastructure never proved to be a detrimental factor in his research. His numerous measurements and calculations based on earth were perfectly accurate for his time. In fact, he is the first ever astrologer in this world to discover that planets revolve in their own axis around the sun. Further, his studies also led to the discovery of how lunar and solar eclipse take place.
Value of Pi
Indian Inventor: Baudhayana
Western Inventor: Archimedes, William Jones, John Wrench
Most of us have solved numerous mathematical equations based on the famous mathematical value of Pi, better known as Pythagoras Theorem. However, the value of Pi was calculated by none other than the Indian mathematician Baudhayana, who belonged to the Yajurveda School.
In fact, Baudhayana is widely credited for being the first ever person to come up with the value of Pi, much before Pythagoras introduced the value.
Plastic Surgery
Indian Inventor: Sushruta
Western Inventor: Dr. Illouz, French Plastic Surgeon
What’s widely believed to be the offshoot of modern science and technology is actually an Indian invention. We are talking about Plastic Surgery that was actually formulated by an Indian surgeon Sushruta.
Sushruta’s famous book ‘Sushruta Samhita’ which is considered as one of the oldest discourse, vividly deals with several methods of performing plastic surgery. In fact, Sushruta Samhita is looked upon as one of the most precious treasure in the history of Indian medical literature.
