This book indeed fulfills a long-felt need for having a very readable, engaging and lucid narrative of the history of Indian mathematics using a wide variety of sources. It demystifies the so-called ‘Greek-genius’ theory. It also strongly argues for the current mathematics curriculum to include the contributions made by Indians to the development of mathematics. The book draws upon both primary and secondary sources. The evidence put together by the author in support of his arguments is quite impressive and reflects the passion with which he has immersed himself in the subject.
Another interesting feature of this book is that it discusses certain topics that generally do not form a part of the narrative found in books dealing with the history of mathematics, such as how the concept of racism was given a ‘scientific’ basis by well-known philosophers and so on. Overall, I would say it is a must read for all those interested in the history of science and mathematics, and it is a welcome addition to the corpus of literature that deals with the history of mathematics in India. I wish the book and its author all the success in getting the message across to a large audience.
──Prof. K. Ramasubramanian
Professor, IIT-Bombay
The Imperishable Seed by Bhaskar Kamble gives a very good summary of the mathematical tradition of the Hindu civilization (the author clarifies what he means by the word ‘Hindu’ in the context of the book), with some brief technical details. It is intended for students and others, with the expectation that “the knowledge that mathematics grew, so to speak, in their own backyard”, would help them shed their awe, and instill confidence in the subject. It “emphasizes the connection of Hindu mathematics with the deeper philosophical world-view and knowledge system of ancient India.” It also aims “to understand why, in spite of its impact on the modern world, the contributions of Hindu mathematics remain largely unknown to the general public… .” Unfortunately, an influential section of the Indian intelligentsia is also a part of the international network which is wedded to a Euro-centric view of human progress. The author’s viewpoints and assertions, which challenge the dominant narrative, supported by copious references, are a welcome addition to the literature on Indian mathematics, with new perspectives and insights.
──M. S. Sriram
Former Professor (University of Madras), author of books on Indian astronomy and mathematics
The book is well-researched and well-written with deep empathy towards the Indian tradition. Vedic period, Kerala School of mathematics, history of numbers, geometry, astronomy, calculus, combinatorics, and infinite series are discussed in exquisite detail, with original Sanskrit text and their translations, as well as explanations. It is one of the rare books which takes the holistic view and traces, explores and explains the connections between religious philosophy or actual philosophy of life, rituals, astronomy, music, and poetry. It also provides proof of the journey of Indian mathematics to Europe, via Persia/ Baghdad, and purloining several concepts as their own, resistance to accepting them, and even leaving some parts aside which they could not follow, as Khwarizmi dropped negative numbers; besides describing the systematic destruction of centres of learning in various invasions, and then using devious means of putting it down as irrelevant. The extensive references, notes, and appendices are extremely valuable. It is a book to be read again and again and to be imbibed. In short, we would consider the present manuscript a very valuable and historic addition to the scholarship about the Indian mathematical tradition.
──Prof. V. S. Ramamurthy, Padma Bhushan, Nuclear scientist and S&T administrator, and Prof. Dinesh Kumar Srivastava, former Homi Bhabha Chair Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
Shri Bhaskar Kamble has taken up an important subject and delved into it with the depth it deserves. While others have also covered this topic, Shri Kamble's treatment is more comprehensive and yet accessible to the non-expert. I congratulate him and hope the serious historians of mathematics give him the credit he deserves.
──Rajiv Malhotra
Author, Founder, Infinity Foundation
Dr. Kamble’s book is based on impeccable research that is well known to scholars around the world, but due to Eurocentrism and academic inertia has not been woven into college or school curricula. The book is an excellent read and timely for shaking people out of the cocoons of incorrect colonialist narratives. It will also be a great resource for those who wish to investigate the topics further.
──Prof.
Subhash Kak
Regents
Professor, Oklahoma State University
Being a Physics student, I have been trained to search for logical connections in events. It was a mystery for me how the great contributions of India in the development of mathematics, science and technology have not been focused on in the educational system. It is definitely acknowledged by historians and many articles and books are available highlighting the advancement of mathematics in India since the Rig-Veda period. But all this is confined to a small class of intellectuals. Forget textbooks, Indian mathematics has not been on the agenda even for popular lectures for general audiences to any significant scale. Bhaskar Kamble has been my student during his M. Sc (Physics) days at (IIT) Kanpur and I am very happy that he has taken up this issue in a comprehensive manner and has come out with this book The Imperishable Seed. Not only he has collected facts about ancient Indian mathematics, he has also analysed how it flowed naturally from the central philosophy and thought process of Indian society. Understanding such connections will help us in deciding the right direction of our efforts in the future. Congratulations Bhaskar for this great work.
──Prof. H. C. Verma (Retd.), Padma Shri
Professor of Physics (retd), IIT Kanpur, Author, “Concepts of Physics”
