Symposium on modern science

Pune, Jan 1 (UNI) A week-long symposium on Jesuits contributions in modern science and nation building, focusing on dialogue between science and religion, began here today.

The symposim will endeavour to encourage younsters to take up science for building a strong nation without losing the deep rooted spiritual quest of the Indians.

About 31 eminent speakers from overseas and Indian universities will present their scientific papers to about 150 scholars on modern science and religion.

Professor Job Kozhamthadam, President Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth (JDV) said the symposium titled ''Jesuits and Modern Science: Past Heritage, Present Status and Future Prospects will deliberate on a large mass of data exists to show that Jesuits and influential members of the Society of Jesuit, who run St Xavier's and Loyola institutions in the country, played a major role in the origin and development of modern science In India.

Giving examples, he said that Spanish Father Anthony Monserrate (1536-1600) a Jesuit geographer who came to India in 1574, was sent to Fatehpur Sikri by Mughal Emperor Akbar on a mission in 1580. He surveyed the area and took observation of latitudes and determined geographical coordinates of 100 positions when he accompanied Akbar from Fatehpur Sikri to Kabul in 1581.

He was the first to complete a map of India in 1590 which was based on actual observations than travelers tales. It gave a better idea of the Himalayas and of the upper course of the Punjab's rivers, Kozhamthadam informed.

Similarly, French Jesuit Scientist J Richaud (1633-1693) had set up a 12ft telescope in Pondicherry and made important observations, including Comet of December 1689, the exact time of lunar eclipse on April four, 1689, and the Megallanic Clouds and the discovery of the binary nature of Alpha-Centauri and Alpha Cruis. This was the first credited astronomical discovery in India as per science historian R K Kochar.

Similarly, a Jesuit astronomer Pierre Mauduit, predicted accurately the lunar eclipse of March 23, 1701, with the help of Johannes Kepler's Rudolphine tables.

Kozhamthadam said French Jesuit astronomer Claude Stanislaus who came to India in 1718 set up a 17-ft telescope, an astronomical timepiece and an aperture gnomon which he carried with him during his 1000-mile long trip from Chandernagore in Bengal to Jaipur.

UNI