Dharma and science

This chapter describes some of the scientific achievements of 19th and 20th centuries and the recent critiques of science and religion in the Indian context. In recent Indian history, as cited in Bilimoria, it was the British colonial administration that introduced science into educational curriculum in the subcontinent as a separate category from other humanities-based courses. In 1876, a Kolkata-based medical doctor Mahendra Lal Sircar founded the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science. From the most ancient Jain texts based on Mahavira&s;s statements to Buddhist texts based on Buddha&s;s statements to medieval and contemporary Sikh texts, the one word that has fascinated peoples of India, it is dharma . Both dharma and science are complementary. The methodologies of Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO) and of Baba Seechewal take into account the newer technologies, changing climatic conditions, and reviving the traditional ecosystems and cultures. The chapter demonstrates some of the hybrid and alternative models of scientific and sustainable models.