Introduction
Imagine a world in which you never heard of algebra, wireless communication, and shampoo. A world without straight-edge rulers or buttons. A world where no one knew how to play chess and everyone had to write down recipes for shampoos on scraps of paper. Well don’t worry—you didn’t live in that world! However, it is true that some of these inventions were discovered by people from India. In fact, India has been an important center of knowledge since ancient times; particularly during the Gupta dynasty (AD 320 – 550). In this blog article we will discover many important inventions from India.
But what exactly are these inventions? And why do they matter?
1. Snakes & Ladders. Snakes & Ladders was invented by the 13th century poet-saint Gyandev from India. It was originally called Mokshapat, or ‘salvation’. The ladders represented virtues like generosity and faith while the snakes represented vices like lust and anger.
You’ve probably played Snakes & Ladders at some point in your childhood, but did you know that it originated in India and was the invention of a poet-saint from India? The game was created by the 13th-century poet-saint Gyandev. It was originally called Mokshapat, or ‘salvation’. The ladders represented virtues like generosity and faith while the snakes represented vices like lust and anger. The game was later called Snakes & Ladders, and it dates back to the 6th century.
The original purpose of this game was to teach children how to avoid evil and achieve spiritual enlightenment. The game was originally played by rolling a dice to move your pawn (or ‘coconut’), which had the number four on its face. The game was also played on a rectangular board with ladders, snakes, and pits. You would win if you managed to climb up all the way without falling into any snake pit or landing on a snake.
It’s not clear how the game was played in ancient India, but it’s believed that the player who reached the top of the board first won. The game was brought to Europe by missionaries in the 18th century when it became popular with children. This game is one of the simplest yet very noteworthy inventions from India.

You’ve probably played Snakes & Ladders at some point in your childhood, but did you know that it originated in India and was the invention of a poet-saint from India?
2. Algebra
The basic concepts of Algebra were discovered and invented by Indian mathematician Bhāskara from India in the 11th century. Bhaskara used the term ‘ganita’ to refer to mathematics, including arithmetic and algebraic analysis.
He also developed a system for representing negative numbers using the concept of ‘debts’ or ‘deficits’, which were represented by symbols such as # and $. around the 11th century AD.
He wrote a book called Āryabhaṭīya, which contained several chapters on algebra, including one called ‘Vedha-Grahaka’. This chapter discusses equations with two unknown quantities and how to solve them using what we now call ‘algebra’
His text, the Bijaganita, is a collection of mathematical problems and solutions that includes methods for solving quadratic equations. He developed a system of solving quadratic equations by using what is now called “Gaussian elimination”.
Algebra is a branch of mathematics that helps us solve problems by using letters and symbols to represent unknowns in an equation. The most basic form of algebra is called linear algebra, which deals with things like lines, planes, and matrices.
3. Chess
If you love chess, you’re likely aware of the fact that it’s one of the oldest games in existence. But did you know that chess was invented in India in the 6th century? The game was developed by an Indian mathematician named Sridharacharya, who created it as a tool to teach people the art of warfare. He wrote a book on chess called ‘Lilavati’, which is still revered today. Chess is one of the oldest inventions from India that is very popular with people of all ages
The modern rules were first written down around 1475 by a Persian mathematician named Al-Suli, but it wasn’t until 1846 that a group called The London Chess Club standardized those rules for international use.
Chess is still popular today as a game (and as a sport). This invention from India over 1,500 years ago continues to engage and entertain people of all ages and all cultures.
4. Number Zero
Zero is one of the greatest inventions from India. It was invented by Indian mathematicians Aryabhata around 200 BCE, and it was one of the most important discoveries in mathematics. The concept of zero helped make calculations easier by allowing people to write down numbers that were missing from equations.
Before the invention of zero, doing math was much more difficult; today we wouldn’t be able to do even simple things like adding up grocery bills without it! It was the first time that a number had been used to represent nothing. It’s hard to imagine how difficult this must have been because at that time people thought of numbers as physical objects. But zero was different; it represented an empty space where something could be placed later.
It makes sense that the number zero was invented in India since the concept of nothingness is at the heart of Hinduism and Buddhism. Indian mathematicians and scientists around the 6th century AD. The concept of zero was difficult for people to understand at first, but it soon became a fundamental part of mathematics. It’s hard to imagine modern science without this invention from India!
The first successful cataract surgery was performed by Dr. Sushruta in India in 600 BC. It involved making an incision on the sclera, removing the lens, and replacing it with a new one made from plant material or animal tissue. This was the first recorded surgery to restore sight, and it’s still used today!
6. Plastic Surgery
The ancient Indian surgeon Sushruta performed plastic surgery by cutting, reshaping, and stitching wounds on soldiers injured in battle. He was also the first person to describe how to perform rhinoplasty (nose job), plastic reconstruction of a fractured nose, and repair of cleft lips or palates.
He also described plastic surgery of the ear and its various types, such as the repair of torn cartilage and reconstructing a new ear using skin grafts. The use of anesthesia was known to ancient Hindu surgeons who used an inhalation of a special herbal powder called “Somarasa” or “Agnishikha” to induce sleep before performing surgery.
He also described the first uses of anesthesia for surgery. Sushruta developed a special powder that was placed in the nostrils of patients to make them unconscious. It is believed that he used cannabis as an anesthetic because it was widely available and had been used as such since ancient times.
7. Wireless Communication (the precursor of mobile phones)
Wireless communication is the transmission of signals through space without using any wires. It is more commonly known as radio communication.
It was first invented in India in the 8th century by the Indian mathematician, astronomer and polymath, Mahadeva. The first wireless communication device was called “the Kautilya Wheel” or “Agnishikha” which means “that which can be heard from a distance without wires”.
1875 by Jagdish Chandra Bose. Bose invented the radio that could receive signals from up to one mile away. He also invented the first wireless telegraphy system and demonstrated its application in air defense systems. Jagdish Chandra Bose was the first person to develop a method of transmitting signals over long distances using radio waves. He invented a radio-based device that could transmit signals and receive messages from one location to another. The device was called the “coherer” and Bose used it to send wireless signals over a distance of 5 km in Kolkata (then Calcutta). When we talk about inventions from India, we realize without these inventions modern-day cell phones wouldn’t be in existence!
8. Fibonacci numbers
Fibonacci numbers are a sequence of numbers where each number is the sum of the previous two numbers. These numbers were first mentioned in India by the Indian mathematician Virahanka, who lived during the 10th century. However, they were named after a 13th-century Italian mathematician called Leonardo of Pisa (also known as “Fibonacci”). Many people in modern science consider this discovery one of the many inventions from India.
9. Value of Pi
The value of Pi was first calculated in India by the astronomer Aryabhata. He calculated it to be 3.1416, which is very close to the modern value of Pi (3.14159265358979323846). Many people in modern science consider this discovery one of the many inventions from India.
Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is roughly 3.141592654. The digits of pi never end, but they can be arbitrarily long if you’re willing to wait and aren’t bothered by rounding errors. While not an essential invention in itself, pi has been used extensively throughout history by mathematicians and engineers. In fact, it’s there in everything from geometry (it helps calculate volumes) to calculus (it shows up in equations for arc lengths and surface areas), algebra (you’ll find it in trigonometric functions), statistics (for regression analysis) and more—and that’s just scratching the surface!
10. Diamond mining and cutting tools
The mining and diamond cutting tools were first invented in India in the 4th century B.C. and were used for many centuries until the British arrived in India in the 17th century. At that point, diamond-cutting tools were developed on a much larger scale by Western jewelers who had access to more advanced technology than their Indian counterparts. By the 18th century, British colonists had taken control of India and its mining operations.
11. Cotton
Cotton was first cultivated in India, and it’s now the country’s most important agricultural crop. The first cotton was grown in India around 5000 B.C., and it became an essential part of Indian culture and economy.
By the 16th century, cotton had been exported to Europe and Africa, where it was used as currency due to its value as a raw material for clothing and other goods. In fact, Europeans relied on this resource so heavily that they sent colonists to India in order to control the production of these materials. C
Cotton became an important export crop in India, and by the 16th century, it was one of the most valuable commodities in the world. The industry grew steadily over the next few hundred years until it peaked in the 17th century when India produced about 90% of all cotton The British East India Company began to import cotton from India in the 1770s, and by the early 19th century, it accounted for almost half of all exports from the country. However, by 1860 Britain had begun to build its own textile industry, which led to a decline in Indian cotton exports.
12. Carburised Steel
Carburised Steel was invented in India in the mid-19th century. In 1848, Indian-born Edward Elwick invented a process for making high-quality steel using low-cost iron ore from India. This meant that British manufacturers could produce cheaper and stronger rails for railways than those being made in Germany at the time. The process was used by British companies to make rail tracks for India’s railways and later exported to other countries around the world.
It was an important innovation in the steel industry because it reduced the amount of carbon required to produce steel, making it cheaper and more durable.
13. Discovery of Water on the Moon
How was it discovered that there is water on the moon? Water was first discovered on the moon by Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) experiment on Chandrayaan-1. It was launched on October 22, 2008, by ISRO’s PSLV-C11 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft reached the Moon on November 8, 2008, and began its mapping mission. The M3 instrument was designed to map the chemical composition of the lunar surface. It found a high concentration of water in permanently shadowed regions near the Moon’s poles.
The water could have come from comet impacts, solar wind hitting and vaporizing ice on the surface or volcanic activity heating up lunar soil. This discovery made it possible for scientists to study the presence of water in the lunar soil and its origin.
14. Buttons
Buttons were first invented in India in the 4th century. They were made from shells, bone,s or ivory and became popular in Europe during the 16th century. A button is a small disk that covers a hole on clothing or other items.
They were used by weavers to hold threads together while they wove the fabric.
15. Ayurvedic medicine
This system of medicine was invented in India in the 4th century. The word “ayurveda” comes from two Sanskrit words: “ayur” which means life, and “veda” which means knowledge.
It is based on the belief that disease occurs when the body’s three humors are out of balance.
Ayurvedic medicine uses herbs, foods, and massage to cure illness and maintain health. It is based on the belief that all of life is made up of five elements. These are Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Each person has a physical body and an energy body called the “prana” or “life force” which controls their health.
Ayurvedic medicine uses herbs and spices to help balance the mind, body, and spirit. the 4th century. It uses herbs, minerals, and other natural ingredients to treat illness. This is one of the greatest inventions and contributions from India.
16. Yoga
Yoga is one of the greatest and oldest inventions from India. Yoga is a discipline that originated in India, and it promotes mental, physical, and spiritual health. It’s a form of exercise to make your body flexible, strong, and healthy. It also provides relaxation from daily stress.
Yoga was developed in India more than 5,000 years ago by ancient sages. The word “yoga” is derived from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” which means “to join” or “to unite.” Yoga is a discipline that aims at uniting the body and mind through exercise, breathing techniques, and meditation. It is one of the greatest inventions from India because it helps us to stay healthy. It is a system of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines, which originated in ancient India.
Yogasana means “a posture for yoga”, referring to the various postures used in Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is the most popular branch of yoga in the West today because it combines physical exercises with breathing techniques, meditation, and philosophy into one complete system of self-improvement. It is a combination of physical and mental exercises that helps us to remain fit and healthy. It is a form of exercise that combines poses, breathing techniques, and meditation.
17. Ruler/straight-edge (for accurate measuring)
The ruler was invented in India, possibly as early as the 4th century BCE. It was used by carpenters and builders to draw straight lines and make accurate measurements. Ruler is a tool used in geometry, carpentry, and construction to make straight lines. It is a tool used to draw straight lines, usually made of metal and having one sharp edge. The ruler is one of the most important inventions from India because it helps us to measure things accurately.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed learning about the inventions from India. These are just some of the many things that Indians have contributed to human knowledge. I hope this article has inspired you to learn more about our country and its culture, as well as its scientific history!
Looking for Indian goods and services? Browse our directory here.
Disclaimer: The information and advice contained in our articles are intended for general informational purposes only. The content on our site does not provide any medical advice or established facts, and only reflects the opinion of writers.