Significance of Ancient Indian Sciences in Contemporary Education

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This book is based on the knowledge related to ancient Indian sciences which is a vast repository of wisdom and understanding that has been developed and accumulated over thousands of years. It discusses the development of various knowledge domains of Cosmology, Astronomy, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Physiology, Medical Science, Samkhya system, Trade & Commerce, Economics and Coinage, Architectural system of ancient India. Along with the significance of the ancient knowledge in contemporary times, this book also highlights the rich heritage, holistic approach, value based teachings, and global significance of ancient Indian knowledge which can help the individuals in leading a fulfilling lives and create a more harmonious and just society. The value based content of this book will emphasize virtues such as compassion, empathy, respect, and responsibility which may ultimately broaden one's perspective and provide a deeper understanding of the world, and India as motherland.

Prof. Saroj Sharma is the Chairperson, National Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS). A doctorate in Education, she holds Master's Degree in four different disciplines-Science, Social Science, Management and Education. She is a member of many educational associations and actively involved in various projects of UNICEF, UNESCO, ICSSR and other social and cultural forums. She is also a member of various Curriculum- development and Framework Formations committees at the national and international levels in the field of different strata of school curriculum as well as of teacher education. She has to her credit a number of books, modules and research papers and articles of national and international repute.

With over decades of providing quality education by different agencies in independent India we have harnessed confidence through excellence and belief in education system at global level.

Today's main concern is to be committed in imparting education with a holistic approach towards life, environment, society and ethics. We have to build competency through leadership, technology, industrial interface and global exposure with an honest approach and right framework at the right time. It is a fact that science has a significant role to play in the development of civilization and at the same time in building harmonious relationship between nature and man.

The diffusion of India's cultural immensity and scientific advancement over the vast stretches of Asia and other continents is a glorious saga of human achievement in the domain of scientific thinking and its implications in day to day life. The Indian festivals, 18 Sanskaras of human life and four major stages of age i.e. brahmacārya, Grihasthshram, Vaanprastha and Sanyas ashramas, are all based on the proven truths established by ancient science.

The advancement of ancient Indian science in different periods have established and recognized widely.

The crowning achievement of man is that he always tries to know and explore facts. Experiences about beauty, goodness and truth felt, obviously make him clearly understand the directions he must travel.

From the analytical point of view, science is the most exhaustible storehouse of knowledge. Science, besides satisfying the intellectual curiosity of man and providing materials for the intellectual exercise, has disciplinary effect on the minds of individuals.

We talk about scientific revolution in west but as far as development of science in ancient India is concerned, it was a simple affair closely linked with religion, philosophy, theology, tradition and culture deeply rooted in living style.

The great Indian sage, Yajnavalkya [figured in Brihadaranyaka upanishad (с. 700 BCE)] declared, "The real purpose of life lies in the scientific investigation of universe."

A renowned German scholar, Max Mueller in his book 'India: What can it teach us?' wrote, If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant-I should point to India."