Contribution of Indian Scientist:
(i) In ancient India, the study of the Veda in addition to subjects like astronomy, geometry, and arithmetic medicine and surgery (Ayurveda), agriculture military science (Dhanurvidya) etc. were also studied with considerable interest. Sacrifices had to be performed as the sine-qua-non of the vedic way of life on an altar of prescribed size and shape. This requirement gave rise to the science of geometry. The priests formulated rules for constructing squares equal in area to oblongs and oblongs to squares; and, methods for making triangles equal to squares and oblongs and circles equal to squares; etc.
(ii) Baudhayana, was a mathematician. Virddha Garga, Lagdha Aryabhatta the astronomers, have had a lasting impact on science in India. Aryabhatta authored two great scientific works "Aryabhatiya" and "Surya- Siddhanta". He was first to enunciate that the earth is round and revolves round the sun. He also explained the movements of the stars and analysed the causes of the solar and lunar eclipses. Moreover, Aryabhattiya deals with algebra, geometry, arithmetic and trigonometry. It also throws light on the numbers. The concept of zero has been his everlasting contribution to science and mathematics.
(iii) Varahamihira was another great scientist of this age. He was the author of the famous book "Brihat Samhita deals with astronomy, botany, geography and many other subjects. But its main subject is astronomy, a work still considered to be an authority.
(iv) Besides astronomy and mathematics, the science of medicine also flourished in the Gupta period, Vriddha-Vagbhatta was perhaps the greatest physician of this age. The system of medicine that he adopted and propagated was the same as that of Charaka and is considered an authority on the ancient system of medicine. Dhanavantari was another great medical authority in the science of Ayurveda system of medicine.
(v) Brahmagupta was another famous mathematician of this period. He is credited with the discovery of the use of the zero and the profounder of the decimal system. These two discoveries revolutionised mathematics.
(vi) Though India achieved remarkable progress in the field of science in ancient times, it received a setback in the medieval age. But the contact with the West and the Indian Renaissance made Indians realize that development of science, scientific inventions and discoveries were responsible for unprecedented progress and material prosperity of the west. Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose made discoveries on plant-life in 1897 and startled the world by his demonstration in short waves wireless.
(vii) In 1902, Prafulla Chandra Ray wrote the history of Hindu Chemistry, which acquainted the West with our progress in the field of Chemistry. In 1911 the Indian Institute of Science was founded by Tata at Bangalore for all research work in physics, chemistry etc. In 1914, Indian Science Congress was started to promote the study and research in science, to acquaint people with the progress of science to create interest in science and establish close contacts among the scientists. It has been doing admirable work in the field of science. As a result of this, Indians made remarkable progress in various branches of science and gained international fame.
(viii) In 1918, Srinivas Ramanujam startled the world by his talents in Mathematics, discoveries of Jagdish Chandra Bose in Botany, contributions of C.V. Raman to Physics in 1930 have all brought them international reputation and acclaim. In recognition of his research, Raman received the Nobel Prize for Physics (1930). He established the Raman Institute of Science at Bangalore to promote the study of Physics. To further the cause of science the Academy of Science was founded at Allahabad in 1930. As a result of these institutions and research therein, science gained popularity. In colleges and universities it became a subject of higher studies.
(ix) After the political liberation, the Government of India had a separate department to encourage scientific inventions and constituted an advisory body for it. Gradually, interest in the scientific inventions and discoveries increased and the people and the Government both moved in this direction rapidly. Consequently, a large number of technical scientific institutions were established. Among these, the National Physical Laboratory at Delhi, National Chemical Laboratory at Pune, National Metallurgical Laboratory at Jamshedpur, Fuel Research Institute at Jharia Coalfields, Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute, Institute of Radio Physics and Electronics at Calcutta, are well known. Besides these, Geological Survey of India, established in 1916, and Botanical Survey of India are doing praiseworthy work in their own fields. All these institutions have trained scientists and keep on making valuable contributors to various branches of science.
(x) Also, we have famous nuclear scientists like Dr. Raja Ramanna who is known as the father of India's nuclear science. Our space scientists, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Kalpana Chawla have made commendable contributions in their field. (We are proud to have Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam as the president of our country while recently we have not lost Kalpana Chawla, the first Indian Woman who went to space).
