Ancient Indian Leaps Into Mathematics

This book presents contributions of mathematicians covering topics from ancient India, placing them in the broader context of the history of mathematics. Although the translations of some Sanskrit mathematical texts are available in the literature, Indian contributions are rarely presented in major Western historical works. Yet some of the well-known and universally-accepted discoveries from India, including the concept of zero and the decimal representation of numbers, have made lasting contributions to the foundation of modern mathematics. Through a systematic approach, this book examines these ancient mathematical ideas that were spread throughout India, China, the Islamic world, and Western Europe.

This book presents contributions of mathematicians covering topics from ancient India, placing them in the broader context of the history of mathematics. Although the translations of some Sanskrit mathematical texts are available in the literature, Indian contributions are rarely presented in major Western historical works. Yet some of the well-known and universally-accepted discoveries from India, including the concept of zero and the decimal representation of numbers, have made lasting contributions to the foundation of modern mathematics. Through a systematic approach, this book examines these ancient mathematical ideas that were spread throughout India, China, the Islamic world, and Western Europe.

The Purpose Of This Book Is To Draw The Attention Of Students And Teachers Of Mathematics To The Historical Continuity Of Indian Mathematics, Starting From The Sulba Sutras Of The Vedas Up To The 17Th Century. The Book Includes Proofs, Not Presented So Far, Of The Propositions Stated In The Well-Known Treatise Vedic Mathematics By Sri Bharati Krishna Teertha. It Also Introduces To The Modern Reader The Work Of Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara And Madhava.

This volume is the outcome of a seminar on the history of mathematics held at the Chennai Mathematical Institute during January-February 2008 and contains articles based on the talks of distinguished scholars both from the West and from India. The topics covered include: (1) geometry in the oulvasatras; (2) the origins of zero (which can be traced to ideas of lopa in Paoini's grammar); (3) combinatorial methods in Indian music (which were developed in the context of prosody and subsequently applied to the study of tonal and rhythmic patterns in music); (4) a cross-cultural view of the development of negative numbers (from Brahmagupta (c. 628 CE) to John Wallis (1685 CE); (5) Kunnaka, Bhavana and Cakravala (the techniques developed by Indian mathematicians for the solution of indeterminate equations); (6) the development of calculus in India (covering the millennium-long history of discoveries culminating in the work of the Kerala school giving a complete analysis of the basic calculus of polynomial and trigonometrical functions); (7) recursive methods in Indian mathematics (going back to Paoini's grammar and culminating in the recursive proofs found in the Malayalam text Yuktibhaua (1530 CE)); and (8) planetary and lunar models developed by the Kerala School of Astronomy. The articles in this volume cover a substantial portion of the history of Indian mathematics and astronomy. This book will serve the dual purpose of bringing to the international community a better perspective of the mathematical heritage of India and conveying the message that much work remains to be done, namely the study of many unexplored manuscripts still available in libraries in India and abroad.

Indian Mathematics gives a unique insight into the history of mathematics within a historical global context. It builds on research into the connection between mathematics and the world-wide advancement of economics and technology. Joseph draws out parallel developments in other cultures and carefully examines the transmission of mathematical ideas across geographical and cultural borders. Accessible to those who have an interest in the global history of mathematical ideas, for the historians, philosophers and sociologists of mathematics, it is a book not to be missed.

This book critically examines different aspects of scientific and technological development in Ancient India. It studies the special contribution of the history of science in our scientific understanding and its relationship with the philosophy and sociology of science. The volume: Discusses diverse and wide-ranging themes including Tibetan Buddhist tradition of neuro-biology; Sheds light on the unique developments within iron technology and urbanization in ancient Odisha; Studies the trajectory of proto-historic astronomy in India and the science of monsoon in early India; Evaluates the legacy of Aryabhata based on his major works related to astronomy and mathematics through a multidimensional perspective; Analyses the traditional knowledge of medicine in early India, the golden age of surgery with reference to the ancient Greek and Arabic systems of medicine, and the Buddhist influence on the science of medicine in Tibet. This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of ancient history, Indian history, history of science, history of technology, science and technology studies, and South Asian studies.

About the Book: The underlying myths that most of us Indians have grown up with is that India was born in 1947! Before that, for centuries, we were a conquered land. And the period before that doesn't matter, because it is prehistory. Nothing is farther from the truth. It matters! It is said about Bharat – “Anything that can be done by man or god, has been done in this country!” Rediscovering Bharat is an attempt to reintroduce the reader to the glory of Bharat. Rediscovering Bharat is not just harping about our glorious past, though we have every right to harp about it! It is about recognizing that we have the most relevant model of progress and prosperity for humanity as a whole. It is called Sanatana Dharma, which is capable of bringing back the balance between humankind's urge for material success and its need for inner wellbeing. Rediscovering Bharat is an attempt to initiate the reader into a personal journey of rediscovering his/her own Bharat. About the Author: Like most Indians of his generation, Kalyan grew up under the influence of the western education system and its attitudes towards life. Academically inclined, he graduated in Metallurgical Engineering from the N.I.T, Rourkela, post-graduated in business management from S.P.J.I.M.R, Mumbai, and has had a “well-settled” career in the BFSI industry. But he is essentially a restless soul. With a million dreams in his mind’s eyes, and his feet refusing to stay on the ground, he meandered through life’s mundaneness with a thousand questions in his heart. Until one day, he realized two things. One, he is a seeker. And two, he belongs to a land which pioneered the art and science of seeking. That’s when he fell in love with Bharat. Rediscovering Bharat is simply a reflection of his personal journey into getting to know himself and his Bharat, with a wish and a desire that all Indians start their own journeys too.

Expanded coverage includes generic cyclical calendars, astronomical lunar calendars, and the Korean, Vietnamese, Aztec, and Tibetan calendars.