MUMBAI, INDIA, August 2008: Prof. K. Ramasubramanian of IIT-Bombay has recently released a two-volume translation of the Ganita-Yukti-Bhasa by Jyesthdeva pointing to the fact that some subsets of calculus existed in Indian manuscripts almost two centuries before Isaac Newton published his work. And that an Indian mathematician and astronomer Nilakantha Somayaji spoke, in parts, about a planetary model, credited to Tycho Brahe almost a century later.
The Ganita-Yukti-Bhasa is divided into 15 chapters. Seven chapters are devoted to mathematics, and eight to astronomy. It was published some time between 1530 and 1540. “However, what’s important,” says Ramasubramanian, “is that the material in this book is far older. For, the author makes it clear that his manuscript only explains in detail the work described in the Tantra Sangraha by Nilakantha Somayaji. So the work spoken about is actually much older, as Nilakantha in the 15th century.”
“The Ganita-Yukti-Bhasa attributes its mathematical models work to Madhava, who lived from 1340 to 1420. That’s way ahead of Newton. But it would be too sweeping a statement to say that this was the first work on calculus,” added the professor.
Another Hindu Temple Burns in Fiji
http://fijidailypost.com/news.php?section=1&fijidailynews=18119
FIJI, August 11, 2008: A Hindu mandir in Vutuni, Fiji, was completed destroyed by fire on Friday night. Fiji’s National Fire Authority received the emergency call at about 10.50pm but were unable to respond immediately as fire crew were committed to another fire at the same time.
The Fire authority has completed its investigations into the cause of the fire and will submit a report to the police for further investigations. Fijian Hindus are routinely subject to arson and violence. In September, 2004, during Dipavali celebrations, the Naga Baba Kutti temple of Raralevu, was burnt to the ground. Several Hindu temples have been similarly raized over the years.