Ancient scientists knew ‘plane’ truth

Bangalore: The civil aviation industry is celebrating 100 years of aviation in India, which began with a mail post in 1911, initiated by the British.
However, what eventually became a “Western Invention” with the Wright Brothers flying the first plane, could have very well been India’s if the country had better research, some experts believe.
Among several claims that Indians in ancient times had ideas about aeroplanes (Vimanas) and that there were mentions of it in several texts, Maharshi Bharadwaaj’s Vymanika Shastra (science of aeronautics), which was recovered from an ancient temple sometime between 1860 and 1865, stands proof to the kind of exposure Indians might have had in the field of aeronautics.
The hand-written Sanskrit manuscript, translated into English by G?R?Josyer, Founder-Director of International Academy of Sanskrit Research, had concept and development of aviation technology that was quite advanced.
A variety of flying machines with application-specific on-board systems had been conceived and developed. In fact, they stretched into full-fledged military applications more than mere mundane air transportation.
It prescribes 32 secrets a plane should consist of, has descriptions of the different layers of the atmosphere, usage of various energies, including light to kill “enemy vimanas”.
Bharadwaaj has mentioned even the ability of such planes to have an auto-pilot mode, which the modern world got only a few decades ago.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Kota Harinarayan, considered the father of light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which after having faced several hurdles is finally nearing its final operational clearance, conceded:?“There is not enough understanding of the kind of technology that he (Bharadwaaj) is talking about.”
A project study conducted by Wing Commander M P Rao and others of Aeronautical Society of India on behalf of Aerospace Information Panel of Aeronautics Research and Development notes:?“The transcript did not find recognition till the end of British rule in India. Follow up studies started only later.”
25/09/11 Chetan Kumar/Deccan Herald

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2011