A Concise History of Science in India c2: Preface
A Concise History of Science in India c2
- Language
- English
Preface
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There is a world-wide interest in the study of the history of science today as one important aspect in understanding man's cultural patterns. This book attempts to present a concise account of the development of science in one of the most ancient culture areas of the world. Despite vicissitudes in intellectual and scientific endeavours and periods of stagnation, e.g. about the time of the Renaissance in Europe, the Indian subcontinent is one of the few areas where a fairly continuous tradition in science and technology is clearly seen.
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Growing interest in Indological research from the end of the eighteenth century saw new approaches to oriental studies. Anquetil du Perron and Sir William Jones, among several others, were pioneers in this field. The search for and the discovery of manuscripts, their patient study, attempts at correlation with the relics of antiquity brought to light by the archaeologist's spade and efforts to understand developments in one culture area in the light of those of other culture areas in contemporary periods characterized this orientation. The linguists, the philologists and the general historians trained in the liberal arts, who led the way, were naturally attracted to the vast sacerdotal and canonical texts, law books, epics, drama and literature. These were more than sufficient to absorb their energies. The study of ancient and medieval Indian technology and science which involved the methods of the linguist and the philologist and the knowledge of scientific disciplines had at first to be slow and halting. Nevertheless, such studies were developing and making important contributions to the understanding of the progress of science in ancient and medieval India. The history of Indian science, however, was a far cry until after World War II.
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The genesis of the current interest in the history of science may be traced to the Symposium on the History of Sciences in South-East Asia held in Delhi in 1950 under the joint auspices of the UNESCO and the Indian National Science Academy (then the National Institute of Sciences of India). The Symposium emphasized the need for an integrated study of the history of science in India and for straightening out the chronological problems. It favoured the co-operation of scientists and historians in an area of endeavour where the methods of their divergent disciplines could be most fruitfully applied.
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After a period of initial deliberations and discussions among its Fellows, the Academy set up a History of Science Board and, with the funds provided by the Government of India in the then Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs, started research units for the collection and study of source materials for the eventual compilation, in several volumes, of the History of Sciences in India. During 1964–65, the Board was replaced by a National Commission composed of a number of scientists and historians in keeping with the recommendations of the 1950 Symposium.
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While the Academy, through its History of Science Board and the National Commission, was thus busy in developing the foundation of study and research in the history of science, the universities and educational institutions evinced a growing interest in the teaching of the subject, and a number of institutions included it in their curricula. From its inception, the National Commission was keenly aware that the universities should take an active interest in introducing teaching and research in the history of science and made a number of recommendations in that direction. In such circumstances, the publication of a concise history of science in India was considered to be an effective way of stimulating further appreciation among the universities in encouraging teaching in the subject apart from generating interest in this new discipline among scholars, scientists and general readers.
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The editors are conscious of the limitations of their attempt involving the participation of a number of scholars from different fields. Certain lack of uniformity in the treatment and presentation of the materials is perhaps unavoidable. Nevertheless, it has given an opportunity to such scholars to look at the history of science in India from the viewpoint of their own disciplines. The original draft of each chapter was referred to other experts for comments and suggestions for further improvement, which were freely given. Many of these suggestions bearing on the factual statements were incorporated and comments concerning points of view were considered in such a manner that the freedom of authors in this respect was not interfered with. The editors take this opportunity to express their gratitude to the referees—Prof. Ram Ballabh, Shri T. S. Kuppanna Sastry, Prof. Ram Behari, Dr. C. Dwarkanath, Hakim Abdul Wahab Zahuri, Prof. T. R. Seshadri, Prof. P. Rây, Shri B. B. Lal, the late Dr. J. C. Sengupta and Dr. G. S. Melkote.
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The drafts of the various chapters developed in the aforesaid manner were considered by the Commission at one of its meetings early in 1970. The Commission suggested, *inter alia*, the incorporation of an introductory chapter containing a survey of source materials, rationalization and avoidance of duplication of the treatment of sources, citations of references in the form of footnotes and preparation of a consolidated bibliography, covering both primary and secondary sources, and a résumé highlighting the main achievements in a chronological setting. The editors executed these tasks in consultation with four historian members of the National Commission, Prof. R. S. Sharma, Prof. G. R. Sharma, Prof. S. Nurul Hasan and Prof. Satish Chandra, and received from them valuable suggestions in the course of this work, for which they record their thanks. The editors' thanks are also due to Prof. Sukumar Roy, formerly Head of the Department of Islamic Studies and Culture, University of Calcutta, for going through the draft manuscript, particularly sections dealing with the medieval period, and making a number of useful suggestions. Prof. F. C. Auluck, Member-Secretary of the National Commission, read the draft of individual chapters. The editors would like to thank him for his many suggestions and for facilitating the progress of the work in various ways.
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Both in the course of the writing of the chapters and their editing, the editors received ungrudging co-operation from a number of institutions and persons in the matter of references, books and journals, drawings and sketches and many technical points. While it is not possible to list all of them by name, particular mention may be made of the Asiatic Society Library, the National Library, the Library of the Indian National Archives, the Archaeological Survey of India, the Zoological Survey of India, the Botanical Survey of India, the India Meteorological Department, the Geological Survey of India, Dr. B. Biswas, Dr. Y. P. Rao, Shri M. V. A. Sastry, Shri M. N. Deshpande, Shri S. R. Rao, Shri M. C. Joshi, Dr. S. P. Gupta, Prof. G. S. Dikshit and Dr. R. N. Kapil. To all of them, including those not specifically mentioned, the editors place on record their sincere thanks for their valuable co-operation and help.
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Special thanks are due to Dr. A. K. Bag, Miss Mira Roy, Miss Mamata Chowdhuri and Shri Vijay Govind, Research Fellows in History of Science under the National Commission, for rendering all kinds of assistance, particularly in the preparation of the consolidated bibliography, the checking of references and going through the proofs, and to Mrs. Sandhya Mitra, Assistant Editor of the *Indian Journal of History of Science* and other publications of the Academy, for seeing the entire matter through the press. The editors deeply appreciate the typing and administrative assistance given by Shri S. K. Sandhar, Shri B. N. Chakraburtty and Shri S. K. Roy.
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Finally, the editors record their sincere thanks to the Baptist Mission Press, particularly to its energetic Works Manager Shri G. Banerjee and his assistants, for their meticulous care and interest in the printing of the book.
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Calcutta October 15, 1971
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*The Indian National Science Academy desires to acknowledge with gratitude the financial assistance received from the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, Government of India towards the working of the National Commission for the Compilation of History of Sciences in India and the production of this book.*