Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have agreed to collaborate with the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) to study the heritage sites. ICHR and ISRO have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to carry out a thorough study which is titled “History of Indian Science and Technology” stated by ISRO chairman S Somanath.
Last year both organisations decided to team up to map out India’s historical contribution to the field of science and technology, analysing the evidence from ancient scriptures. However, this collaboration raised questions about the scientific rigour of this study. Recently, in that regard, the officials from ISRO stated that the project would also utilise scientific tools such as space-based imaging and satellite monitoring of heritage sites.
The partnership’s goal is to trace and establish India’s contributions to science and technology throughout history using the scientific approach. Somanath stated, “The study is not using ancient scriptures, but space-based imaging of heritage sites and palaeo-channels and other geographical observations. The work is yet to start”. As per Central Ground Water Board, palaeo –channels are remnants of once active rivers or streams, or we can say, the area where a river once flowed.
In November 2022, ICHR and ISRO announced to start of a Rs 1.5 crore project to print six volumes of a book, two each for the ancient, mediaeval, and modern times, detailing the “history of India’s contribution in the field of science and technology using evidence from ancient scriptures”.
Former ICHR member Secretary Umesh Kumar Kadam stated back then that the project would utilise evidence from ancient scriptures to trace India’s contribution to science and technology.
He stated, “There is a huge amount of information available in our ancient dharam granthas (religious scriptures) about India’s rich history of science and technology but, unfortunately, that has not been tapped by historians as yet who refute it and call it myth. We will read the texts properly and understand their historical and scientific content”.
Recently, the officials at the ICHR have now said that their collaboration with ISRO will primarily focus on archaeology and excavation, utilising scientific technology. The officials added that the council has yet to finalise the modalities.
The scientists at ISRO stated that first, the sites will be identified which are of historical importance across India and then, by utilising satellite imagery and other space-based monitoring systems, these historical places will be studied.
ICHR experts will utilise the images created by ISRO’s technology to trace key civilisations, including palaeontological (relating to the study of fossils) and other evidence of science and technological contributions that would have gone unnoticed in modern records.
An ISRO official stated, “For instance, rivers are known to change their paths. Our satellite technology can track the paths that our rivers followed several years ago, and then trace civilisations around these tracks. This is just one aspect, there will be many areas where evidence-based scientific tools will be able to help”.
Vasant Shinde, ICHR member and archaeologist, stated, “There are thousands of archaeological sites and monuments that are yet to be discovered properly because of their limited access, and it is not possible to explore them physically. Isro’s technology can be used in exploring such sites. For instance, in the Saraswati region archaeological site and Isro has already managed to reconstruct a trail of this river that has dried up now. There are archaeological sites in the thick forests of the northeastern region that can be explored through Lidar drone technology”.
The full form of LIDAR is Light Detection and Ranging. As per the IJERT journal, Lidar uses a “remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure distance to the earth. It uses laser energy in radar fashion to observe meteorological backscattering as a function of range”. This technology will be very useful in tracing the Saraswati River, which is believed to be flowing underground but is not yet discovered.
Shinde added, “Both archaeologists and scientists are working on traditional knowledge systems in the field of science and technology. We might explore the technologies used in the past in the field of water harvesting, irrigation, and climate change, and how they can be used in the present context”.
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