The Indian Way of Doing Science
Why Read This
What Makes This Article Worth Your Time
Summary
What This Article Is About
Dr Manish explores the distinctive characteristics of India’s scientific tradition, which emphasizes reproducibility over individual authorship, knowledge as realization rather than creation, and integrates both intellect and heart in research. Unlike Western approaches that prioritize bibliographic attribution, Indian science—exemplified by figures like Rishi Vyasa and Shankaracharya—values whether knowledge can be verified and experienced, regardless of who documented it.
The article highlights how pioneering Indian scientists like CV Raman, GN Ramachandran, and Dilip Mahalanabis made groundbreaking discoveries despite limited resources and institutional support, often driven by spiritual inspiration. However, a colonized mindset has led to inadequate recognition of Indian achievements and a destructive “crab syndrome” that hinders collaboration. Dr Manish argues that decolonizing our perspective and embracing India’s inherent scientific attributes—reproducibility, collaboration, and heart-centered inquiry—is essential for global scientific advancement.
Key Points
Main Takeaways
Reproducibility Over Authorship
Indian scientific tradition prioritizes whether knowledge can be verified and replicated, not who documented it first.
Multiple Manifestations of Truth
The principle “Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti” allows for diverse perspectives on the same phenomenon without contradiction.
Heart-Centered Science
Indian tradition integrates heart and intellect, viewing inspiration as an instrument that explores dimensions beyond rational analysis.
Spiritual Roots of Discovery
Major Indian scientific institutions trace their origins to spiritual leaders like Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramhansa.
Colonial Impact on Recognition
A colonized mindset has led to inadequate celebration of Indian scientists and destructive “crab syndrome” hindering collaboration.
Decolonizing Science
India must cultivate self-esteem, collaboration, and recognition that domestic research equals work done at Oxford or Harvard.
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Article Analysis
Breaking Down the Elements
Main Idea
India’s Distinctive Scientific Paradigm
The article articulates how Indian scientific tradition fundamentally differs from Western approaches by prioritizing reproducibility and realization over individual authorship, integrating spiritual and emotional dimensions alongside intellectual inquiry, and requiring decolonization to reclaim its collaborative strengths. This matters because it offers an alternative epistemological framework that could address limitations in contemporary global science.
Purpose
Advocacy for Cultural Reclamation
Dr Manish advocates for recognizing and revitalizing India’s inherent scientific strengths by documenting historical examples of Indian scientific excellence, critiquing the colonial legacy that undermines domestic achievements, and arguing that the world needs India’s collaborative, heart-centered approach to research. The piece functions as both historical analysis and a call to action for contemporary Indian scientists.
Structure
Philosophical → Historical → Prescriptive
The article opens with philosophical questions about authorship in Indian texts, transitions to concrete historical examples of Indian scientists and institutions, documents the negative impacts of colonization on scientific culture, and concludes with prescriptive recommendations for decolonizing mindsets and embracing indigenous scientific values. This structure moves from abstract principles to lived consequences to future action.
Tone
Reflective, Critical & Inspirational
Dr Manish adopts a reflective tone when exploring philosophical traditions, becomes critically analytical when discussing colonial impacts and inadequate recognition of Indian scientists, and shifts to inspirational when advocating for reclaiming indigenous scientific strengths. The balanced approach acknowledges problems while maintaining optimism about solutions.
Key Terms
Vocabulary from the Article
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Tough Words
Challenging Vocabulary
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The process of undoing the intellectual, cultural, and psychological effects of colonization; reclaiming indigenous perspectives and values.
“We need to be collaborative by decolonising our mindset.”
Relating to the theory of knowledge, especially the methods, validity, and scope of how we know what we know.
“In the Indian context, knowledge is regarded as existing, and what matters is whether this knowledge can be seen or realised.”
Strongly influencing later developments; groundbreaking and highly original in a field of study.
“GN Ramachandran…made a seminal contribution to computed tomography.”
To attribute human characteristics to something abstract; to represent a concept through a person or individual.
“This is the opposite of other parts of the world, where a bibliographic notion often personifies knowledge.”
To signal or announce the approach or arrival of something; to be a sign of things to come.
“Basiswar Sen…is credited with heralding the Green Revolution.”
Extremely serious or urgent; warning of or causing great suffering or disaster.
“This contraceptive was a dire need during those days in the 1970s.”
Reading Comprehension
Test Your Understanding
5 questions covering different RC question types
1According to the article, in the Indian scientific tradition, the reproducibility of facts matters more than documenting who authored the discovery.
2What does the article suggest is a distinctive feature of Indian science compared to Western science?
3Which sentence best captures the article’s view on the impact of colonization on Indian science?
4Evaluate the following statements about Indian scientists mentioned in the article:
The Indian Institute of Science originated from a conversation between Swami Vivekananda and industrialist Jamsetji Tata.
GN Ramachandran received three Nobel Prizes for his work on collagen, the Ramachandran plot, and computed tomography.
Satyendra Nath Bose was nominated for the Nobel Prize eleven times, all by Indian scientists.
Select True or False for all three statements, then click “Check Answers”
5What can be inferred about the author’s view on the future of global science?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
This Sanskrit phrase translates to “Truth is one, the wise speak of it in many ways.” In scientific context, it represents the Indian tradition’s acceptance that the same phenomenon can be understood through multiple valid perspectives—such as matter existing in both quantum and mechanical states. This philosophical foundation allows Indian science to embrace new discoveries without perceiving them as contradictions, unlike Western traditions that historically struggled with competing explanations. It reflects a pluralistic epistemology that values diverse approaches to truth.
The Indian Institute of Science originated from a conversation between Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Tata, with advocacy from Bhagini Nivedita ensuring its establishment. CV Raman, the first Indian IISc director, began his Nobel Prize-winning research at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, founded by Mahendra Lal Sircar, personal physician to Ramakrishna Paramhansa. Basiswar Sen established the Vivekananda laboratory in Almora, now part of ICAR. This spiritual foundation reflects the Indian tradition of integrating heart and intellect in scientific pursuit.
“Crab syndrome” refers to the destructive tendency where individuals within a community pull down those attempting to succeed or advance—like crabs in a bucket preventing each other from escaping. Dr Manish attributes this to the colonized mindset that created low self-esteem among Indian scientists. Examples include Sujoy Kumar Guha having to complete MBBS while serving as an IIT Professor so his contraceptive could qualify for trials, and the rough investigation that led discoverer of In Vitro Fertilisation Subhash Mukhopadhyay to suicide. This contrasts with India’s inherently collaborative scientific nature.
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This article is rated as Intermediate level. It introduces abstract philosophical concepts like epistemology and reproducibility while requiring readers to connect historical examples with contemporary arguments. The vocabulary includes domain-specific scientific and cultural terms, but the core ideas are explained with concrete examples from Indian scientific history. Readers should be comfortable with sustained argumentation across multiple paragraphs and able to infer connections between cultural traditions and scientific methodologies. The piece assumes some familiarity with the history of science but doesn’t require specialized technical knowledge.
Dr Manish uses this fact to challenge the idealistic notion that “science knows no country” by demonstrating that nationality and institutional networks profoundly affect scientific recognition. Despite Ramachandran’s groundbreaking contributions deserving multiple Nobel Prizes, only Indian scientists (including CV Raman) nominated him. Similarly, even Subramanyan Chandrasekhar working in the United States initially received nominations only from Indian scientists. This pattern reveals systemic biases in global scientific recognition that disadvantage researchers from formerly colonized nations, supporting the article’s argument for decolonizing scientific mindsets and developing stronger domestic recognition systems.
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