Science plays a key role in the development of any country. It is no secret that the most developed countries in the world had great Inventors.
India ranks among the most ancient civilizations of the world. Indeed, ancient Indians possessed a very high level of scientific knowledge.
Hence, they made several inventions. Over centuries, this tradition continues.
The fact that India Launched Mangal Yaan the MOM at Just Fraction of the cost of a Hollywood Movie is Sufficient Proof that India Leads the world in Science and Technology.
There are several Indian Scientist who has made great Inventions across various fields.
Out of all the Indian Scientist, we have listed down 13 famous Indian scientists whose inventions continue to impact the world today.
List Of 13 Famous Indian Scientists and Their Inventions
1. Aryabhatta
Invention: Zero and Decimals
There is a famous song from a Hindi movie that states “Zab Zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne…”.
Yes, the number and concept of a zero were invented by ancient Indian mathematician and astrologer Aryabhatta.
He is also credited with inventing the decimal system and putting forth the now proven theory that Earth is indeed round and moves around the Sun.
A 5th Century AD scientist, Aryabhatta’s inventions of Zero and the decimal continue to be utilized widely for everything from space research to school mathematics.
Also Read: 25 Unknown and Amazing Facts About India
2. Kanad/ Aulukya
Invention: Atomic Theory
Ancient Indian scientist Aulukya gets his nickname Kanad for inventing the atomic theory.
In Sanskrit, the word ‘kana’ means atoms. This 6th Century BC Indian scientist wrote the world is composed of atoms that cannot be seen with bare eyes.
That atoms form every matter on Earth. They are indestructible and indivisible. Modern atomic science verifies Kanad theory.
He thus invented the atomic theory at a time when the world could not even imagine such a concept.
3. Susruta
Invention: Plastic Surgery & Embalming Dead Bodies
Another Prominent Indian scientist and physician, Susruta had perfected the science of plastic or cosmetic surgery using fairly sophisticated techniques way back in 6th Century BC.
Susruta studied the human anatomy and also invented ways and mean to embalm a dead body using chemicals derived from natural sources.
Today, plastic surgery and embalming are big businesses worldwide.
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4. Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya
Invention: Flood Prevention Systems for India
Sir M. Visvesvaraya was a pioneer Indian engineer and also the Diwan of Mysore.
Born in Muddennahalli in Karnataka in 1861, Sir M. Visvesvaraya pioneered the automatic weir water floodgate system.
This system enables raising of water levels in a reservoir according to supply without causing any damage to the dam.
The first such system was installed in Pune. He also invented various flood prevention systems including one for Hyderabad.
Following its success, Sir M. Visvesvaraya’s invention is now used at several dams in India.
He passed away in 1962. Sir M. Visvesvaraya has been conferred India’s highest civilian honour- Bharat Ratna. His birthday, September 15, is observed across India and also abroad as Engineer’s Day.
Also Read: Top 10 Biggest Dams in India
5. Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose
Invention: Microwave Communications & Crescograph
Sir Jagdish Chandra Bose was the original inventor of microwave communications.
However, massive publicity in the western world wrongly credits this achievement to Italian Guglielmo.
In fact, Sir. Jagdish Chandra Bose demonstrated that radio communications using microwaves is possible way back in 1885- or two years before Marconi got his rudimentary radio transmitter and receiver working.
He also invented Crescograph used for measuring the growth of plants.
6. Meghnad Saha
Invention: Saha Ionization Equation
Meghnad Saha was an Indian scientist who missed winning the Nobel Prize in 1930.
His Saha Ionization Equation is used to draw a nearly complete picture of chemical composition and physical condition of stars, comets and other cosmic bodies.
His complex equation continues to be used till date, as scientists around the world look for planets that could potentially host alien life forms.
7. Sir Chandrasekara Venkata Raman
Invention: Raman Effect
Sir CV Raman, an Indian scientist won the Nobel Prize for inventing the Raman Effect.
He found that light breaks up into various wavelengths and assumes different colours when passed through a transparent medium.
The Raman Effect is indeed responsible for causing rainbows that are commonly seen when it rains on partly cloudy days. In 1930 Sir CV Raman won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The Indian government honoured him with the highest civilian honour- Bharat Ratna.
8. Ajay V Bhatt
Invention: USB drive
The small USB drive or pen drive you use daily to store data or music was invented by an Indian scientist, Ajay V. Bhatt.
Currently, Bhatt lives in the US and works for global IT giant, Intel. Bhatt was the first to invent the Universal Serial Bus (USB) and various other technologies now used in computers.
Born in 1957 in Vadodara, Gujarat, Bhatt is now an American citizen.
9. Shiva Ayyadurai
Invention: Email
Mumbai-born Shiva Ayyadurai migrated to the US with parents at the age of seven.
Studying IT and programming in the US, he stumbled across a novel technique that could be used widely to send messages across computer networks.
The system evolved as electronic mail or e-mail. Shiva Ayyadurai is now an American citizen but is credited as the inventor of the ubiquitous email.
10. Vinod Dham
Invention: Intel Pentium
Originally from New Delhi, Vinod Dham was inclined towards computers and Information Technology.
After graduating from Delhi University as an electrical engineer, Vinod Dham travelled to the US for further studies.
After working with several leading American firms, Vinod Dham was employed by Intel. Here he invented the Intel Pentium chip that is used to power computers worldwide.
11. Anandish Kumar Pal
Invention: 3D Mouse
Though not a qualified engineer or IT expert, Anandish Kumar Pal has an inclination for inventions.
He holds 13 different patents for various types of machinery and equipment from American authorities.
However, his most recent and acclaimed invention is said to be the 3D Mouse that has specialized applications.
He has won patents for this mouse in India and the US.
12. Gopalaswamy Doraiswamy Naidu
Invention: Tamper Proof Voting Machines
GD Naidu never won any major international accolade. Nor were his inventions taken seriously at the time- in the 1930s, when India was under British rule.
However, Naidu is credited with inventing various machines including kerosene-fueled ceiling fan, two-stroke engines for cheap scooters and the tamper proof (non-electronic) the voting machine.
He is credited for building a house in less than 12 hours, using his own technology.
13. Charaka
Invention: Ayurveda
Ancient Indian scientist Charaka is hailed as the Father of Indian Medicine or Ayurveda.
He is believed to have lived between 6BC and 2BC. Charaka studied various forms of medicines based on herbs and mentioned in various Indian Vedas.
Based on these, he wrote a treatise on herbal and natural medicine and various medical therapies.
He can rightly be called the inventor of Ayurveda since he developed various forms of treatments into well-defined science.
Summing It Up
There are several more inventions that can rightly be credited to Indian scientists.
Prime among these is Vimana or the ancient flying machine that many consider as merely mythical.
However, reliable ancient texts do prove that ancient Indians made flying machines. Ancient carvings and paintings depict these aircraft.
Further, there is evidence to prove that nuclear weapons were first used in India.
Graphic yet poetic descriptions of “Divine Weapons” used by Indian gods have an uncanny resemblance to those used in the modern world.
In recent years, India lost out on several pioneering inventions due to rampant brain drain: highly qualified and innovative scientists left the country for Europe and North America to seek fortunes. This brain drain cost India dearly.
In Conclusion
These 13 Indian Scientist and their Inventions prove that Indians have been at forefront of science and technology since times immemorial.
There are countless Indian inventions that await proper documentation.
Unfortunately, years of colonial rule and destruction of evidence by foreign rulers may mean, these pioneering inventions remain unknown to the world.
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