Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Kudos to the entire GJH team for bringing out yet another super-informative and inspiring edition! I always look forward to the articles with Indian perspectives on math and science since mainstream academia is in the thrall of Western theories and refuses to acknowledge the lion’s contribution of India to the foundations and development of math and science. The article by Shailaja Sharma on "Indian Mathematics and the Tradition of Enquiry in India" is great as it posits traditional Indian knowledge systems as relevant and in fact, says that it is necessary to understand these systems to better apply math in our daily lives. And ancient Indian scholars had developed advanced mathematical theories right up to 500 AD including curved surface geometry which Descartes pronounced "impossible" to do a thousand years later. This shows the arrogance of Western thought which unjustly overlooks proven theories and highlights the Eurocentric bias and lack of scientific temper in math and science! The ancient Indian mathematicians conducted math in a practical manner and applied it in real life unlike the Westem mathematicians who confounded math with religion. The article provides a wealth of information and points many of us interested readers to sources which we can use for self-study to shake off and unlearn our taught Western biases!
Best Regards,
Nirmala, New Delhi.
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Dear Editor,
Like every issue before, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the latest issue. I especially liked the cover story on Self-appointed Trustee of Natural Resources. The author has very beautifully brought out the way in which the Indian state uses laws and it’s mandate as a trustee of the vast lands of the country to benefit big corporations and assist the loot and plunder of the land in country, all this resulting in not only misuse and exhaustion of the resources, but displacement and alienation of entire peoples. People who have so far lived in harmony with their surroundings, mainly taking only as much as they need and ensuring habits and customs that give back to the environment. In comparison to them, the unsound and rapid pace at which the big corporations use up natural resources and then through back waste is extremely scary needless to say concern worthy. Then the underplaying of this illogical and profit driven agenda in the media is another issue.
It is good to note that the author talks of breaking away from the present framework which allows for such plunder and presents the need for a new framework, which takes in account the needs and aspirations of the people and not big corporate houses.
Deepa Singh
Jalandar, Punjab