Zero
Dr. Pawan Vijay · Kitab Mahal
Book Introduction: The *Nasadiya Sukta* reveals that, for Vedic seers, the state preceding creation was one where "everything" existed within "nothingness." This hymn laid the philosophical foundation for a science that gained the ability to manifest the unmanifest through the medium of *Shunya* (zero). The concept of *Shunya* first spread beyond India to the Arab world through Al-Khwarizmi in 773 CE, where it was known as *sifr*; this term later evolved into "zero" in English via Italian and French. Had India secured a copyright for this discovery, approximately 50 percent of inventions in the computer industry would have been Indian. The journey of scientific and technological development in India has never ceased over the past ten thousand years. Flowing like a perennial river (*Sadanira*), it has traversed eras—from *Krita*, *Treta*, and *Dvapara* through the times of the Saraswati River, Keezhadi, Eran, the Narmada Valley, Pandu Rajar Dhibi, the Kunindas, Mauryas, Shungas, Gandharvas, Satavahanas, Guptas, and Harshavardhana, continuing from the medieval period to the present day. There is a long list of Indian scientists whose inventions and discoveries transformed the world—ranging from ancient figures like Brihaspati, Baudhayana, Lagadha, Latadeva, Aryabhata, Nagarjuna, Varahamihira, Brahmagupta, Shridharacharya, Bhaskaracharya, and Narayana Pandita to modern luminaries such as Ramanujan, C.V. Raman, Hargobind Khorana, Jagadish Chandra Bose, Satyendra Nath Bose, Prafulla Chandra Ray, Homi Bhabha, Vikram Sarabhai, Narinder Singh Kapany, Nambi Narayanan, Ajay Bhatt, and Raj Reddy. The book explores key aspects of Indian science, civilization, and philosophy. Author Introduction: Dr. Pawan Vijay is a scholar of Indian society and culture, known for his nationalist discourse. A defining characteristic of Dr. Vijay’s writing is his functional analysis—from an Indian perspective—of not only the cultural mainstream but also the lives of folk communities and those on the margins of society, encompassing their culture, emotions, psychology, achievements, and deprivations. In addition to being a litterateur, he is a sociologist, columnist, social commentator, social activist, and educationist. Books authored by Dr. Pawan Vijay are included in the curricula of various academic courses. Several of his books—covering topics such as Indian society, gender studies, the sociology of law, Indian social stratification, and philosophy—are highly popular among students.
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