India has been instrumental in shaping the modern world. Today, we’re going to take a look at some of the most important inventions of modern times which can trace back their origins to India.
1) Buttons
When we think about fine clothes we often associate them with Italy, but not many people know that buttons which are an important accessory for any type of clothing was actually invented in ancient India 2000 years ago.
2) Chess
Also known as the thinking man’s game, chess was invented during the Gupta Empire in India around 6th century AD.
3) Rulers
A ruler in India is rarely used for its intended purpose, kids who never do their homework will relate to it. But did you know that it was invented during the Indus Valley civilization around 2000 years ago?
4) Shampoo
The Nawabs of Bengal were a huge fan of oil head massages in 1762. They used to call it ‘Champo’ which then later derived the word ‘Shampoo’
5) Snakes and Ladders
It was a widely popular game in India. It then spread through England rapidly and finally made its way to America, where it was manufactured as a board game on a large scale.
6) Use of cotton
Cotton cultivation in India can be traced all the way back to 5th century. We were the only major exporter if cotton during that time. It’s not an overstatement to say that we literally helped in shaping modern day clothing.
7) Mathematics
Along with the number ‘0’ India is also credited with inventing Algebra, Calculus, and Geometry. This has helped in laying the foundation for future scientific discoveries.
8) Diamond Mining
Diamonds are often associated with Africa, but it was India who was a major exporter of diamonds for over 5000 years. It wasn’t until the 18th century when a diamond mine was discovered in Brazil.
9) Discovery of water on the moon.
Sure, the Americans are credited for sending the first man on the moon, but it was ISRO’s Chandrayaan-I who discovered traces of water on moon’s surface.
10) Binary numbers
If you are familiar with computer science you’d know that everything functions on ‘0’ and ‘1’ today. They are known as the binary numbers. They were first described in ancient Sanskrit texts which date back to 500 BC.
