‘Time’ measures the amount, quality and extent of evolution, but time itself cannot get measured without Mathematics. Unlike ‘Time’, which is a man-made concept to believe that nature indeed changes, ‘Mathematics’ is far natural and older. “Mathematics is the alphabet with which God has written the universe” Galileo Galilei had once said, perhaps because of just how subtly it fits in with human existence. So much so that in the 21st century, where technological way of life is reshaping the world faster than ever before, DATA becomes paramount, a cardinal asset, which is fundamentally, a super-advanced version of Mathematics. Current developments in the domains of Artificial Intelligence, Virtual Reality, Automation, super-computing, etc. are a proof of how Mathematics has evolved over ‘time’. It is only Mathematics that gives hope to mankind that even the hitherto science fiction concepts like teleportation and time travel may actually be possible someday.
In the 88th edition of his monthly radio program ‘Mann ki Baat’, PM Modi spoke in lengths on how significant Mathematics is and has always been for the country and how much has the Indian subcontinent been able to give to the World as far as logical research and conceptual inventions and fundamentals are concerned. “During ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’, some students said that they are afraid of maths in the exam… Friends, Mathematics is such a subject about which we Indians should be most comfortable. After all, the people of India have given the most research and contribution to the whole world regarding mathematics,” shared PM Modi. He then went on to mention bits about India’s pioneership in introducing the number zero (recorded use recently discovered to be made as early as the 3rd or 4th century), the concept of infinity, binary number system, Vedic Maths, contribution of great mathematicians like Acharya Pingala, Aryabhatta, Ramanujan and ancient Indian sages.
The decimal system being employed worldwide was also first seen in India. Indian scriptures, largely ‘Vedas’ and other ancient manuscripts have acted as recorded proof of many such concepts and logical fundamentals. The ancient Indian subcontinent was leaping with mathematically enlightened culture that was flourishing at a time when Europe was still stuck in the dark ages. Apart from the perhaps greatest ever discovery of ‘Zero’, Indian mathematicians have made exceptional contributions to the study of trigonometry, algebra, arithmetic and negative numbers, etc. The key concept of Vedantic teachings, ‘Brahmn’, the one which pervades and manifests entire creation, is translated loosely in Arabic as Al-Zabr (The most powerful). The method of assuming its (Brahmn’s) existence to reaching a stage where it can be realised experientially, is developed as the fundamental method of working of algebra as we know it today. The world awaits to learn these and many more such fundamental developments from India of past and future.
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