list of Indian inventions and discoveries ~ top tens in world
This
list of Indian inventions and discoveries details the inventions, scientific discoveries and contributions made in
India[fn 1] throughout its
cultural and
technological history, during which
architecture,
astronomy,
cartography,
metallurgy,
logic,
mathematics,
metrology and
mineralogy were among the branches of study pursued by
its scholars. During recent times
science and technology in the Republic of India has also focused on
automobile engineering,
information technology,
communications as well as
space,
polar, and
Inventions
- Bangle: Bangles—made from shell, copper, bronze, gold, agate, chalcedony etc.—have been excavated from multiple archaeological sites throughout India.[1] A figurine of a dancing girl—wearing bangles on her left arm— has been excavated from Mohenjo-daro (2600 BCE).[2] Other early examples of bangles in India include copper samples from the excavations at Mahurjhari—soon followed by the decorated bangles belonging to the Mauryan empire(322–185 BCE) and the gold bangle samples from the historic site of Taxila (6th century BCE).[1] Decorated shell bangles have also been excavated from multiple Mauryan sites.[1] Other features included copper rivets and gold-leaf inlay in some cases.[1]
- Button: Buttons—made from seashell—were used in the Indus Valley Civilization for ornamental purposes by 2000 BCE.[7] Some buttons were carved into geometric shapes and had holes pieced into them so that they could attached to clothing by using a thread.[7] Ian McNeil (1990) holds that: "The button, in fact, was originally used more as an ornament than as a fastening, the earliest known being found at Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley. It is made of a curved shell and about 5000 years old."[8]
- Calico: Calico had originated in India by the 11th century and found mention in Indian literature by the 12th when writer Hemacandra mentioned calico fabric prints done in a lotus design.[9] The Indian textile merchants traded in calico with the Africans by the 15th century and calico fabrics from Gujarat appeared in Egypt.[9] Trade with Europe followed from the 17th century onwards.[9]Within India, calico originated in Calicut.[9]
- Carding, devices for: Historian of science Joseph Needham ascribes the invention of bow-instruments used in textile technology to India.[10] The earliest evidence for using bow-instruments for carding comes from India (2nd century CE).[10] These carding devices, called kaman and dhunaki would loosen the texture of the fiber by the means of a vibrating string.[10]
Map showing origin and diffusion of chess from India to
Asia,
Africa, and
Europe, and the changes in the native names of the game in corresponding places and time.
- Chintz: The origin of Chintz is from the printed all cotton fabric of calico in India.[23] The origin of the word chintz itself is from the Hindi language word चित्र् (chitr) , which means a spot.[23][24]
- Cockfighting: Cockfighting was a pastime in the Indus Valley Civilization by 2000 BCE.[26] The Encyclopædia Britannica (2008)—on the origins of cockfighting—holds: "The game fowl is probably the nearest to the Indian red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus), from which all domestic chickens are believed to be descended...The sport was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, and other Eastern countries and was introduced into Greece in the time of Themistocles (c. 524–460 BCE). The sport spread throughout Asia Minor and Sicily. For a long time the Romans affected to despise this "Greek diversion," but they ended up adopting it so enthusiastically that the agricultural writer Columella (1st century CE) complained that its devotees often spent their whole patrimony in betting at the side of the pit."[27]
- Cotton Gin: The Ajanta caves of India yield evidence of a single roller cotton gin in use by the 5th century CE.[29] This cotton gin was used in India until innovations were made in form of foot powered gins.[29] The cotton gin was invented in India as a mechanical device known as charkhi, more technically the "wooden-worm-worked roller". This mechanical device was, in some parts of India, driven by water power.[10]
- Crescograph: The crescograph, a device for measuring growth in plants, was invented in the early 20th century by the Bengali scientist Jagdish Chandra Bose.[30][31]
- Crucible steel: Perhaps as early as 300 BCE—although certainly by 200 CE—high quality steel was being produced in southern India also by what Europeans would later call the crucible technique.[32] In this system, high-purity wrought iron, charcoal, and glass were mixed in a crucible and heated until the iron melted and absorbed the carbon.[32] The first crucible steel was thewootz steel that originated in India before the beginning of the common era.[33] Archaeological evidence suggests that this manufacturing process was already in existence in South India well before the Christian era.[34][35]
- Dental drill, and dental surgery: The Indus Valley Civilization has yielded evidence of dentistry being practiced as far back as 7000 BCE.[36] This earliest form of dentistry involved curing tooth related disorders with bow drills operated, perhaps, by skilled bead craftsmen.[37] The reconstruction of this ancient form of dentistry showed that the methods used were reliable and effective.[38]
- Dice: The die is attributed to India by some accounts.[39][40][41] Some of the earliest archaeological evidence of oblong dice have been found in Harrapan sites such as Kalibangan, Lothal, Ropar,Alamgirpur, Desalpur and surrounding territories, some dating back to the third millennium BCE, which were used for gambling.[42][43][44] The oblong or cubical dice (akṣa) is the precursor of the more primitive vibhīṣaka—small, hard nuts drawn randomly to obtain factors of a certain integer.[45] Dicing is believed to have later spread westwards to Persia, influencing Persian board games.[46]Early references to dicing can be found in the Ṛg Veda (c. early 2nd millennium BCE)[44][47][48] as well as the newer Atharva Veda (c. late 2nd millennium ~ early 1st millennium BCE).[42][49]
- Dike: Dikes were known to be widely used in the Indus valley civilization,[50][51] which are believed to be the first dikes in the world,[51] built as early as the 1st millennium BCE.[51] This was the same period when the dockyard at Lothal was in operation.[51] The use of dikes became known from then onwards.[51]
- Dock (maritime): The world's first dock at Lothal (2400 BCE) was located away from the main current to avoid deposition of silt.[52] Modern oceanographers have observed that the Harappans must have possessed great knowledge relating to tides in order to build such a dock on the ever-shifting course of the Sabarmati, as well as exemplary hydrography and maritime engineering.[52] This was the earliest known dock found in the world, equipped to berth and service ships.[52] It is speculated that Lothal engineers studied tidal movements, and their effects on brick-built structures, since the walls are of kiln-burnt bricks.[53] This knowledge also enabled them to select Lothal's location in the first place, as the Gulf of Khambhat has the highest tidal amplitude and ships can be sluiced through flow tides in the river estuary.[53] The engineers built a trapezoidal structure, with north-south arms of average 21.8 metres (71.5 ft), and east-west arms of 37 metres (121 ft).[53]
Cotton being dyed manually in contemporary India.
- Dyeing: Early evidence of dyeing comes from India where a piece of cotton dyed with a vegetable dye has been recovered from the archaeological site at Mohenjo-daro (3rd millennium BCE).[54] The dye used in this case was madder, which, along with other dyes—such as Indigo—was introduced to other regions through trade.[54] Contact with Alexander the Great, who had successfully used dyeing for military camouflage, may have further helped aid the spread of dyeing from India.[54] Within India these dyes have found consistent mention in Indian literature and in some cases have been excavated in archaeological findings.[54] Dyes in India were a commodity of both Internal trade and exports.[54] Indian exports of Indigo alone reached nearly 15, 097, 622 pounds in 1887-88 with the principle markets being the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and Egypt.[54]
- Furnace: The earliest furnace was excavated at Balakot, a site of the Indus Valley Civilization, dating back to its mature phase (c. 2500-1900 BCE). The furnace was most likely used for the manufacturing of ceramic objects.[55]
- Hookah: The invention of the modern Hookah is attributed to Hakim Abul Fateh Gilani (c. 1580 CE), who was a physician in the court of Mughal emperorAkbar (1542 - 1605 CE).[56][57][58] Following the European introduction of tobacco to India, Gilani raised concerns after smoking tobacco became popular among Indian noblemen, and subsequently envisaged a system which allowed smoke to be passed through water in order to be 'purified'.[57] Gilani invented the Hookah after Asad Beg, then ambassador of Bijapur, encouraged Akbar to take up smoking.[57] Following popularity among noblemen, this new device for smoking soon became a status symbol for the Indian affluent.[57]
- Hospital: Brahmanic hospitals were established in what is now Sri Lanka as early as 431 BCE.[59] The Indian emperor Ashoka (ruled from 273 BCE to 232 BCE) himself established a chain of hospitals throughout the Mauryan empire (322–185 BCE) by 230 BCE.[59] One of the edicts of Ashoka (272—231 BCE) reads: "Everywhere King Piyadasi (Asoka) erected two kinds of hospitals, hospitals for people and hospitals for animals. Where there were no healing herbs for people and animals, he ordered that they be bought and planted."[60]
- Incense clock: Although popularly associated with China the incense clock is believed to have originated in India, at least in its fundamental form if not function.[61][62] Early incense clocks found in China between the 6th and 8th century CE—the period it appeared in China all seem to have Devanāgarī carvings on them instead of Chinese seal characters.[61][62] Incense itself was introduced to China from India in the early centuries CE, along with the spread of Buddhism by travelling monks.[63][64][65] Edward Schafer asserts that incense clocks were probably an Indian invention, transmitted to China, which explains the Devanāgarī inscriptions on early incense clocks found in China.[61] Silvio Bedini on the other hand asserts that incense clocks were derived in part from incense seals mentioned in Tantric Buddhist scriptures, which first came to light in China after those scriptures from India were translated into Chinese, but holds that the time-telling function of the seal was incorporated by the Chinese.[62]
- India ink, carbonaceous pigment for: The source of the carbon pigment used in India ink was India.[66][67] In India, the carbon black from which India ink is produced is obtained by burning bones, tar, pitch, and other substances.[67][68] Ink itself has been used in India since at least the 4th century BCE.[69] Masi, an early ink in India was an admixture of several chemical components.[69]Indian documents written in Kharosthi with ink have been unearthed in Xinjiang.[70] The practice of writing with ink and a sharp pointed needle was common in ancient South India.[71] Several Jainsutras in India were compiled in ink.[72]
- Indian clubs: The Indian club—which appeared in Europe during the 18th century—was used long by India's native soldiery before its introduction to Europe.[73] During the British Raj the British officers in India performed calisthenic exercises with clubs to keep in for physical conditioning.[73] From Britain the use of club swinging spread to the rest of the world.[73]
Laser Interferometer for measuring
refractive index invented by M.V.R.K. Murty.
- Interferometer, lateral shear: Invented by M.V.R.K. Murty, a Lateral Shear Interferometer utilizes a laser source for measuring refractive index.[74] The principle of the Murty Interferometer is: 'when a parallel plate of glass receives a collimated laser beam at an oblique angle, the reflections from front and back of the plate are always separated by a certain amount of shear depending on thickness and refractive index of the glass plate and angle of incidence of the beam. An interference fringe of uniform intensity is obtained in the common area of two laterally sheared beams. When a wedged plate of a few arc seconds instead of parallel plates is used as a shearing plate such as its apex of wedge lies in the horizontal plane, a set of straight fringes parallel to the horizontal direction are formed for the well collimated laser beam. The interferometer is insensitive to vibrations and therefore the fringes are stable even without isolation table.'[75] The schematic diagram for measuring refractive index of liquids or solids by using the Murty Interferometer is given in this figure.[75] The laser interferometer did not require any optical path compensation.[74]
- Iron: Iron was developed in the Vedic period of India, around the same time as, but independently of, Anatolia and the Caucasus. Archaeological sites in India, such as Malhar, Dadupur, Raja Nala Ka Tila and Lahuradewa in present day Uttar Pradesh show iron implements in the period between 1800 BCE—1200 BCE.[76] Early iron objects found in India can be dated to 1400 BCE by employing the method of radiocarbon dating. Spikes, knives, daggers, arrow-heads, bowls, spoons, saucepans, axes, chisels, tongs, door fittings etc. ranging from 600 BCE to 200 BCE have been discovered from several archaeological sites of India.[77] Some scholars believe that by the early 13th century BC, iron smelting was practiced on a bigger scale in India, suggesting that the date the technology's inception may be placed earlier.[76] In Southern India (present day Mysore) iron appeared as early as 11th to 12th centuries BC; these developments were too early for any significant close contact with the northwest of the country.[78]
- Kabaddi: The game of kabaddi originated in India during prehistory.[80] Suggestions on how it evolved into the modern form range from wrestling exercises, military drills, and collective self defense but most authorities agree that the game existed in some form or the other in India during the period between 1500-400 BCE.[80]
- Ludo: Pachisi originated in India by the 6th century.[81] The earliest evidence of this game in India is the depiction of boards on the caves of Ajanta.[81] This game was played by the Mughal emperors of India; a notable example being that of Akbar, who played living Pachisi using girls from his harem.[81][82] A variant of this game, called Ludo, made its way to England during the British Raj.[81]
- Oven: The earliest ovens were excavated at Balakot, a site of the Indus Valley Civilization. The ovens date back to the civilization's mature phase (c. 2500-1900 BCE).[55]
The Great Stupa at
Sanchi (4th-1st century BCE). The dome shaped stupa was used in India as a commemorative monument associated with storing sacred relics.
- Pajamas: Pajamas in the original form were invented in India, which was for outdoor use and was reinterpreted by the British to be sleepware.[89][90] The use of this garment spread throughout the world with increasing globalization.[89][90]
- Palampore: पालमपुर् (Hindi language) of Indian origin[91] was imported to the western world—notable England and Colonial america—from India.[92][93] In 17th century England these hand painted cotton fabrics influenced native crewel work design.[92] Shipping vessels from India also took palampore to colonial America, where it was used in quilting.[93]
- Plastic surgery: Plastic surgery was being carried out in India by 2000 BCE.[94] The system of punishment by deforming a miscreant's body may have led to an increase in demand for this practice.[94] The surgeon Sushruta contributed mainly to the field of Plastic and Cataract surgery.[95] The medical works of both Sushruta and Charak were translated into Arabic language during the Abbasid Caliphate (750 CE).[96] These translated Arabic works made their way into Europe via intermidiateries.[96] In Italy the Branca family of Sicily and Gaspare Tagliacozzi of Bologna became familiar with the techniques of Sushruta.[96]
- Prayer flags: The Buddhist sūtras, written on cloth in India, were transmitted to other regions of the world.[98] These sutras, written on banners, were the origin of prayer flags.[98] Legend ascribes the origin of the prayer flag to the Shakyamuni Buddha, whose prayers were written on battle flags used by the devas against their adversaries, theasuras.[99] The legend may have given the Indian bhikku a reason for carrying the 'heavenly' banner as a way of signyfying his commitment to ahimsa.[100] This knowledge was carried into Tibet by 800 CE, and the actual flags were introduced no later than 1040 CE, where they were further modified.[100] The Indian monk Atisha (980-1054 CE) introduced the Indian practice of printing on cloth prayer flags to Tibet.[99]
- Private bathroom and Toilet: By 2800 BCE, private bathrooms, located on the ground floor, were found in nearly all the houses of the Indus Valley Civilization.[102] The pottery pipes in walls allowed drainage of water and there was, in some case, provision of a crib for sitting.[102] The Indus Valley Civilization had some of the most advanced private lavatories in the world.[102] "Western-style" toilets were made from bricks using toilet seats made of wood on top.[102] The waste was then transmitted to drainage systems.[102]
Wayang Kulit (shadow puppet) in Wayang Purwa type, depicting five
Pandava, from left to right:
Bhima,
Arjuna,
Yudhishtira,
Nakula, and
Sahadeva (Museum Indonesia,
Jakarta). Ghosh, Massey, and Banerjee (2006) trace the origins of puppetry in India to the Indus Civilization.
- Puppets and Puppetry: Evidence of puppetry comes from the excavations at the Indus Valley.[103] Archaeologists have unearthed terracotta dolls with detachable heads capable of manipulation by a string dating to 2500 BCE.[103] Other excavations include terracotta animals which could be manipulated up and down a stick—-archiving minimum animation in both cases.[103] The epic Mahabharata; Tamil literature from the Sangam Era, and various literary works dating from the late centuries BCE to the early centuries of the Common Era—including Ashokan edicts—describe puppets.[104] Works like theNatya Shastra and the Kamasutra elaborate on puppetry in some detail.[105] The Javanese Wayang theater was influenced by Indian traditions.[106]Europeans developed puppetry as a result of extensive contact with the Eastern World.[107]
- Reservoir, artificial: Sophisticated irrigation and storage systems were developed by the Indus Valley Civilization, including the artificial reservoirs atGirnar in 3000 BCE and an early canal irrigation system from circa 2600 BCE.[108] Irrigation was developed in the Indus Valley Civilization around 4500 BCE.[109] The size and prosperity of the Indus civilization grew as a result of this innovation, which eventually lead to more planned settlements which further made use of drainage and sewers.[109]
- Ruler: Rulers made from Ivory were in use by the Indus Valley Civilization period prior to 1500 BCE.[112] Excavations at Lothal (2400 BCE) have yielded one such ruler calibrated to about 1/16 of an inch—less than 2 millimeters.[112] Ian Whitelaw (2007) holds that 'The Mohenjo-Daro ruler is divided into units corresponding to 1.32 inches (33.5 mm) and these are marked out in decimal subdivisions with amazing accuracy—to within 0.005 of an inch. Ancient bricks found throughout the region have dimensions that correspond to these units.'[113] Shigeo Iwata (2008) further writes 'The minimum division of graduation found in the segment of an ivory-made linear measure excavated in Lothal was 1.79 mm (that corresponds to 1/940 of a fathom), while that of the fragment of a shell-made one from Mohenjo-daro was 6.72 mm (1/250 of a fathom), and that of bronze-made one from Harapa was 9.33 mm (1/180 of a fathom).'[114] The weights and measures of the Indus civilization also reached Persia and Central Asia, where they were further modified.[114]
- Seamless celestial globe: Considered one of the most remarkable feats in metallurgy, it was invented in Kashmir by Ali Kashmiri ibn Luqman in between 1589 and 1590 CE, and twenty other suchglobes were later produced in Lahore and Kashmir during the Mughal Empire.[115][116] Before they were rediscovered in the 1980s, it was believed by modern metallurgists to be technically impossible to produce metal globes without any seams, even with modern technology.[116] These Mughal metallurgists pioneered the method of lost-wax casting in order to produce these globes.[116]
- Sewage collection and disposal systems: Large-scale sanitary sewer systems were in place in the Indus Valley by 2700 BCE.[102] The drains were 7–10 feet wide and 2 feet (0.61 m) below ground level.[102] The sewage was then led into cesspools, built at the intersection of two drains, which had stairs leading to them for periodic cleaning.[102] Plumbing using earthenware plumbing pipes with broad flanges for easy joining with asphalt to stop leaks was in place by 2700 BCE.[102]
- Shampoo: Shampoo originally meant head massage in several North Indian languages. Both the word and the concept were introduced to Britain from colonial India,[102] by the Bengali entrepreneurSake Dean Mahomed.[117]
- Snakes and ladders: Snakes and ladders originated in India as a game based on morality.[118] This game made its way to England, and was eventually introduced in the United States of America by game-pioneer Milton Bradley in 1943.[118]
- Stepwell: Earliest clear evidence of the origins of the stepwell is found in the Indus Valley Civilization's archaeological site at Mohenjodaro.[119] The three features of Indian stepwells are evident from one particular site, abandoned by 2500 BCE, which combines a bathing pool, steps leading down to water, and figures of some religious importance into one structure.[119] The early centuries immediately before the common era saw the Buddhists and the Jains of India adapt the stepwells into their architecture.[119] Both the wells and the form of ritual bathing reached other parts of the world with Buddhism.[119] Rock-cut step wells in India date from 200-400 CE.[120] Subsequently the wells at Dhank (550-625 CE) and stepped ponds at Bhinmal (850-950 CE) were constructed.[120]
- Stupa: The origin of the stupa can be traced to 3rd century BCE India.[121] It was used as a commemorative monument associated with storing sacred relics.[121] The stupa architecture was adopted in Southeast and East Asia, where it evolved into the pagoda, a Buddhist monument used for enshrining sacred relics.[121]
- Swimming pool: The "great bath" at the site of Mohenjo-daro was most likely dug during the 3rd millennium BCE. This pool is 12 by 7 meters, is lined with bricks and was covered with a tar-based sealant.[122]
- Toe stirrup: The earliest known manifestation of the stirrup, which was a toe loop that held the big toe was used in India in as early as 500 BCE[123] or perhaps by 200 BCE according to other sources.[124][125] This ancient stirrup consisted of a looped rope for the big toe which was at the bottom of a saddle made of fibre or leather.[125] Such a configuration made it suitable for the warm climate of most of India where people used to ride horses barefoot.[125] A pair of megalithic double bent iron bars with curvature at each end, excavated in Junapani in the central Indian state ofMadhya Pradesh have been regarded as stirrups although they could as well be something else.[126] Buddhist carvings in the temples of Sanchi, Mathura and the Bhaja caves dating back between the 1st and 2nd century BCE figure horsemen riding with elaborate saddles with feet slipped under girths.[127][128][129] Sir John Marshall described the Sanchi relief as "the earliest example by some five centuries of the use of stirrups in any part of the world".[129] In the 1st century CE horse riders in northern India, where winters are sometimes long and cold, were recorded to have their booted feet attached to hooked stirrups.[124] However the form, the conception of the primitive Indian stirrup spread west and east, gradually evolving into the stirrup of today.[125][128]