India’s Education Ministry has unveiled a new book that aims to reconnect students with the nation’s rich scientific legacy one that stretches from Ayurveda to early developments in calculus. The book, Indian Knowledge Systems India’s Contribution to Science Volume I, celebrates the depth and diversity of India’s ancient scientific achievements while linking them with modern education.

Launched as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reforms, the 430 page publication is designed for students from Classes 6 to 12. It highlights how ancient Indian thinkers in fields like mathematics, medicine, and astronomy contributed significantly to global knowledge centuries before the modern era. The text draws inspiration from the works of scholars like Aryabhata, Charaka, and Madhava of Sangamagrama whose explorations in infinite series predated European calculus by hundreds of years.

The book also explores India’s mastery in traditional medicine. One striking section revisits a Himalayan conference of ancient Ayurvedic practitioners, detailing how they debated causes of disease and methods of treatment. There’s even a fascinating reference to eye surgery techniques performed on animals a testament to the precision of early Indian medical science.

Edited by G.K. Venkataraman and Ganti S. Murthy, with a foreword by Professor Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, the book has been produced under the Ministry of Education’s Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) Division. It includes illustrations of ancient instruments such as the Ghatika Yantra and Samrat Yantra, early timekeeping and astronomical devices that showcase India’s long-standing curiosity about the cosmos.

However, not everyone has welcomed the book without reservations. Some scholars have expressed concerns that while the intent is noble, the work may over romanticize India’s past rather than critically engage with it. Still, the authors maintain that the aim is to “decolonize” the curriculum helping young learners see India’s history of science not as myth, but as a continuum of inquiry that shaped modern knowledge.

With future volumes already planned, this first edition marks a step toward making India’s educational system more rooted, reflective, and proud of its scientific journey.