History of Science in India: Focus on Pre-vedic and Vedic Times

Abstract

This chapter will assess the nature of science in Ancient India, focusing mainly upon the period of the Indus Valley Civilisation and the Vedic times. The use and application of science in Ancient India has always been a debated and controversial topic; therefore, in order to present information without the bias of ongoing and old controversies, internal evidence from the Vedic texts is stated and laid out for the reader to interpret. To help readers understand the evolution of science in India, this chapter will investigate the application and use of sciences in the four Vedas and the Smrutis and will relate it to modern education by using frameworks such as curriculum, pedagogy and assessments. Additionally, this chapter will also provide some background information about the education system prevalent in Ancient India and in the subsequent periods that were influenced by Buddhism, Islam and British colonisation.