Indian scientists slam ancient Hindu ‘stem cell’ claim

Indian science conference organisers have distanced themselves from a claim ancient Hindus invented stem cell research.

G. Nageshwar Rao was speaking at the Indian Science Congress

The organisers of an Indian science conference have distanced themselves from speakers who used the event to dismiss Einstein’s discoveries and claim ancient Hindus invented stem cell research.

The Indian Scientific Congress Association yesterday expressed “serious concern” as the remarks aired by academics at its annual conference attracted condemnation and ridicule.

The gathering hosts Nobel laureates, but in recent years has seen Hindu mythology edging on to the agenda.

At this year’s congress, the head of a southern Indian university cited an ancient Hindu text as proof stem cell research was discovered on the subcontinent thousands of years ago.

“We had 100 Kauravas from one mother because of stem cell and test tube technology,” said G. Nageshwar Rao, vice-chancellor at Andhra University, referring to a story from the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

Professor Rao said a demon king from another centuries-old Hindu epic had two dozen aircraft and a network of landing strips in modern-day Sri Lanka. “Hindu Lord Vishnu used guided missiles known as ‘Vishnu Chakra’ and chased moving targets,” said the professor of inorganic chemistry.

Event organisers tried to hose down the remarks, saying it was “unfortunate” the event had been derailed by controversy.

“We don’t subscribe to their views and distance ourselves from their comments. This is unfortunate,” said association general secretary Premendu P. Mathur. “There is a serious concern about such kind of utterances by responsible people.”

A scientist from a university in Tamil Nadu state questioned the breakthroughs of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein.

India is no stranger to prominent figures debasing science or citing ancient Hindu texts such as the Puranas and Vedas as ironclad evidence of the country’s technological prowess.

Higher Education Minister Satyapal Singh last year said Darwin’s theory of evolution was wrong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 pointed to Hindu scriptures as proof plastic surgery existed in ancient India.

Science Minister Harsh Vardhan last year said ancient Greeks took credit from India for early mathematical principles and misquoted Stephen Hawking as praising the Vedas for discoveries greater than Einstein’s theory of relativity .

The charity Breakthrough Science Society said it was “astounded and even horrified” at the remarks made at an academic summit. “Puranic verses and epics are poetic, enjoyable, contain moral elements and rich in imagination but not scientifically constructed or validated theories,” the group said.

“Such a hallowed assembly of scientists has been misused to make false and chauvinistic claims about ancient India.”

AFP