A group of scientists, under the aegis of Breakthrough Science Society, has expressed “deep concern” over the session titled ‘Ancient sciences through Sanskrit’ at the 102nd Indian Science Congress, now under way at the University of Mumbai.
While wishing the Science Congress all success, Babu Joseph, former Vice Chancellor of Cochin University of Science and Technology; former Deputy Director of Collegiate Education K. Aravindakshan; former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientist C. Ramachandran, and others said in a statement here that none of the speakers at the session were scientists of any repute and that scientists who were known to have worked on ancient Indian sciences were not among the speakers.
The statement also said that even before the Science Congress some of the speakers had made “preposterous” claims like how ancient Indian planes had made inter-planetary journeys. The group of scientists also claimed that the chairperson of the session did not allow any questions to be asked while questioning is considered the “very essence of scientific thinking”.
Cultural history
They said that Indians can be proud of their cultural history and their contributions to philosophy, art, music, literature, astronomy, mathematics and medicine.
At the same time they expressed astonishment at the “false” and “chauvinistic” claims being made at “such a hallowed assembly of scientists”.
