Five Amazing Ancient Inventions That India Gave to the World

India has been a land of brilliant minds that came up with many developments and inventions that are being used all over the world. Recently, Uddhab Bharali a genius who has made over 150 inventions was awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to mankind. Let us know about some inventions of ancient Indians that has benefitted the world. The Symbol Zero Indians have given the world the symbol zero. It is said that Babylonians left space to signify it as absent. However, the famous classical mathematician Brahmagupta used a dot to denote zero. It is popularly known fact that Aryabhata developed the symbol zero. The great mathematician and astronomer also introduced the place value system that is evident in the 3rd-century Bakshali Manuscript. Ayurveda Ayurveda originated in India. It is an ancient system of medicine which has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. This system of medicine generally involves the use of leaves, herbs and other natural ingredients to cure chronic diseases. Ayurveda is very popular in India and is practiced even today in many parts of the world. The Game Of Chess It is said that the earliest predecessor of the game of chess originated in India during the Gupta Empire. In its early form, it was called ‘ Chaturanga’ which means four divisions (of the military) – infantry, cavalry, elephantry and chariotry which has over the centuries evolved into modern pawn, knight, bishop and rook respectively. Cotton Cultivation The inhabitants of the Indus Valley Civilization were the first to cultivate cotton. It developed into a major industry over the years. Some methods used in cotton spinning and fabrication sustained and were practiced until the modern Industrialization of India. Surgery Sushruta, an ancient Indian physician and surgeon is known as the father of surgery. Dating back to 600 BC,  Sushruta performed many surgeries including complicated ones like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, urinary stones among many others. He was assisted by his team and he had more than 120 surgical tools. People from other countries would come to India to gain knowledge about these surgeries. Many more amazing inventions in the field of art, science and mathematics are credited to India which is considered as one of the oldest civilizations of the world. A lot of modern-day inventions are based on the principles laid down by the genius minds of the country and these have helped to bring a change to the world. Image Source: Manifesto