Biography of indian scientist aryabhatta biography

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Many of his works were lost, but some are still available for modern scholars and hold great credibility. His invention of zero was a game-changer, enabling more complex mathematical operations and accurate numerical representation. He was the first in the classical age of India that excelled as a mathematician and an astronomer.

biography of indian scientist aryabhatta biography

It has also inspired many budding scientists to follow his path and make discoveries. He challenged and contradicted many beliefs that were going on at the time and through calculations provided pieces of evidence for it to be true. And the 4th Chapter is Golapada that consists of 50 verses. Because of which the works around the world reached the place easily that helped Aryabhata to make major mathematical and astronomical advancements.

Some of his results were cited by great Arabian mathematicians such as Al-Biruni and Al-Khawarizmi who believed that the Earth rotates on its axis.

Aryabhata's definitions for cosine, sine, inverse sine, verse sine gave birth to Trigonometry. The periods and positions of the planets were calculated on the relative motion of the points.

In the case of Venus and Mercury, they moved with the same mean speed as the Sun around the Earth.

He explained the eclipses in terms of shadows falling on the Earth.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth’s shadow is blocked by the Moon. The first Indian Satellite to be sent to space was named after him as a tribute. He stated that the planets and the Moonshine due to the reflected sunlight. India recognizes his contributions.

He always considered Kusumapura, Pataliputra his native place which is present-day Patna, Bihar. He developed a deep interest in mathematics and astronomy at a young age. He emphasised empirical observations over fables, and believed technological understanding should offer a cause of nature, now not support superstition.

He as soon as wrote:

“Knowledge is that which is well-known to the unknown.”

Timeline of Aryabhatta Life

YearAgeEvent / MilestoneDetails
476 CE0Birth of AryabhattaBorn in Kusumapura (modern-day Patna, Bihar), in the Gupta Empire.
~490 CE~14Early Education BeginsLikely started studying Vedic texts, mathematics, and astronomy; possibly at Nalanda University.
499 CE23Completion of AryabhatiyaWrote the Aryabhatiya, his most famous work on mathematics and astronomy.
500 CE24Gained RecognitionBecame a renowned scholar across India, receiving acknowledgment from Gupta rulers.
502–510 CE26–34Head of an ObservatoryBelieved to have led an astronomical observatory in Kusumapura or Ujjain.
~510–520 CE~34–44Developed Arya-siddhantaComposed the now-lost Arya-siddhanta, with deeper astronomical observations.
Post 520 CE45+Widespread InfluenceHis ideas were translated into Arabic and Persian, influencing Islamic and European scholars.
~550 CE~74Death (Estimated)Likely passed away around 550 CE.

People in Arabia, during a special time in history, liked his work a lot. Aryabhatta experiments laid the foundation for Indian astronomers to improve the calculations.

Sidereal Periods

Considering the modern units of time, Aryabhatta calculated the sidereal rotation ( the rotation of the Earth concerning the stars) as 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds.

The confusion was cleared much later in the year 1926 by B Datta when he said the works Al-Biruni confused to be of two scientists, is only of one, and that is Aryabhata.

Pataliputra which was the capital of Kusumapura in the Gupta Empire was a major learning hub and was the center of a communication network.