From: German Date: Sat Apr 14, 2001 9:02 am Subject: Facts about India Fast facts about India (Did you know?) You may know some of these facts. These facts were recently published in a German Magazine which deals with WORLD HISTORY. 1. India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history. 2. India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta. 3. The World's first university was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studies more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education. 4. Sanskrit is the mother of all the European languages. Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software - a report in Forbes magazine, July 1987. 5. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization. 6. Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century. 7. The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit 'Nou'. 8. Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days. 9. The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematicians. 10. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India. Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10**53 (10 to the power of (53) with specific names as early as 5000 BCE during the Vedic period. Even today, the largest used number is Tera 10**12 (10 to the power of 12). 11. According to the Gemological Institute of America, up until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world. 12. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century old suspicion in the world scientific community that the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof. Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi. 13. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra. 14. According to Saka King Rudradaman I of 150 CE a beautiful lake called 'Sudarshana' was constructed on the hills of Raivataka during Chandragupta Maurya's time. 15. Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India. 16. Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts. 17. When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization) 18. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC. From: Bhattathity M P Mailing-List: list vediculture@yahoogroups.com Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2003 12:11:48 +0530 Subject: [world-vedic] facts about Ancient India ----- Original Message ----- From: Bhattathity M P To: jeevan kumar ; wisdom month ; brahma Sent: Friday, April 18, 2003 10:34 AM Subject: The greatness of India Did you know the following facts about India. 1. India invented the Number system. Pingalacharya invented 'zero.' in 200 BC. 2. Indians discovered the size, shape, rotation and gravity of earth about 1000 years before Kelvin, Galileo, Newton and Copernicus. Aryabhatta I was the first to explain spherical shape, size, diameter, rotation and correct speed of Earth in 499 AD. 3. Newton's law of Gravitational force is an ancient Indian discovery. In Siddhanta Siromani (Bhuvanakosam 6) Bhaskaracharya II described about gravity of earth about 400 years before Sir Isaac Newton. 4. The place value system, the decimal system was developed in India in 100 BC. 5. Indians discovered Arithmetic and Geometric progression. Arithmetic progression is explained in Yajurveda. 6. Govindaswamin discovered Newton Gauss Interpolation formula about 1800 years before Newton. 7. Vateswaracharya discovered Newton Gauss Backward Interpolation formula about 1000 years before Newton. 8. Madhavacharya discovered Taylor series of Sine and Cosine function about 250 years before Taylor. 9. Madhavacharya discovered Newton Power series. 10. Madhavacharya discovered Gregory Leibnitz series for the Inverse Tangent about 280 years before Gregory. 11. Madhavacharya discovered Leibnitz power series for pi about 300 years before Leibnitz. 12. Parameswaracharya discovered Lhuiler's formula about 400 years before Lhuiler. 13. Nilakanta discovered Newton's Infinite Geometric Progression convergent series. 14. Theorems relating the diameter, volume and circumference of circles discovered by Madhavacharya, Puthumana Somayaji, Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya... 15. The value of pi was first calculated by Aryabhatta I in 499 AD, ie more than 1350 years before Lindemann 16. Boudhayana discovered Pythagorus Theorem in 800BC. ie 300 years before Pythagorus. 17. Algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India. Quadratic equations were by Sridharacharya in the 11th Century. 18. While the Greeks were using only upto a maximum value 1000, Indians could go upto 18th power of 10 level during Vedic period. 19. Infinity was well known for ancient Indians. BhaskaracharyaII in Beejaganitha (stanza-20) has given clear explanation with examples for infinity 20. Positive and Negative numbers and their calculations were explained first by Brahmagupta in his book Brahmasputa Siddhanta. 21. Maharshi Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted surgeries like cesareans, cataract, fractures and urinary stones. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India. He was the first person to perform plastic surgery. 22. When many cultures in the world were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization). 23. The world's first University was established in Takshila in 700BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BC was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education. 24. According to the Forbes magazine, Sanskrit is the most suitable language for computer software. 25. Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. 26. Although western media portray modern images of India as poverty stricken and underdeveloped through political corruption, India was once the richest empire on earth. 27. According to the Gemmological Institute of America, until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds to the world. 28. USA based IEEE has proved what has been a century-old suspicion amongst academics that the pioneer of wireless communication was Professor Jagdeesh Bose and not Marconi. 29. The earliest reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra. 30. Chess was invented in India. 31. The first philosopher who formulated ideas about the atom in a systematic manner was Kanada who lived in the 6th century B.C. 32. All the atomic reactors in the world are in Shiva Linga shape which is an Indian contribution. 33. Patanjali maharshi discovered sound waves. 34. Yoga is an ancient Indian gift to the world. 35. Shayanacharya discovered velocity of light. 36. Maharshi Bharadwaja discovered different types of light rays. 37. Maharshi Bharadwaja was the first person to give definition about aeroplane. He explained about different types aeroplanes in his book "Vimana Tantra" about 2000 years before Right Brothers. 38. Maharshi Bharadwaja discovered spectrometer. In his "Yantra Sarvaswa" he explained about more than 100 instruments. 39. The different colours of light, VIBGYOR are mentioned in Rigveda which was written more than 6000 years ago. 40. Maharshi Charaka discovered Psychology and Quantum healing system. 41. Varahamihira discovered the concept of "Budding of plants". 42. Seven continents are mentioned in Padmapurana. 43. Judo and karate which are coming to India from the far-east originated in ancient India Reference Books. 1. "Indian Scientific Heritage" by Dr.N. GopalaKrishnan 2. "Theorems discovered by Indians" by Dr.N. GopalaKrishnan 3. "India's contribution to World culture" by Sudheer Birodkar All of the above are some of the discoveries of Indians which are at present known in the names of European and Western scholars. Many more such theorems are unknown to the world. Most of the modern discoveries were already explained in our Vedas, Upanishads and other scriptures by our great scientists whom we call Rishis. Thousands of such discoveries are there in our scriptures. Let us take the initiative to find out those facts and spread them across the globe and thereby make every Indian proud. Please forward this email to everyone you know. It is your, mine and our duty, privilege and responsibility to learn,teach and spread our Heritage. Love our motherland and respect our ancestors. Be proud of being an Indian.