Lectures on Sino-Indian History of Science
23–27 February 2026
Chanakya University, Bangalore
Four academic and public sessions
Speaker Information
Bill M. Mak
Professor of History of Science,
University of Science and Technology of China
Research Associate, Needham Research Institute, Cambridge
Bill M. Mak is Professor of History of Science, University of Science and Technology of China, and Research Associate of the Needham Research Institute, Cambridge, U.K. His areas of research include the history of science in Asia, Sino-Indian historical relations, and Mahāyāna Buddhism. He completed his linguistic training at McGill University (B.A. Hons.) in 1996, specialising in Sanskrit and East Asian languages. After receiving his PhD in Indian languages and literature from Peking University in 2010, he held several research and teaching positions in Hong Kong (University of Hong Kong), Germany (Hamburg University), and Japan (Kyoto University). Mak has authored over 30 academic articles in peer-reviewed journals and is co-editor of Overlapping Cosmologies in Asia, published recently by Brill. He is now completing a book project titled Foreign Astral Sciences in China, from the Six Dynasties to the Northern Song, published by Routledge under the Needham Research Institute Monograph Series.
Lecture Schedule
23 February 2026
Monks, Merchants, and the Stars: The Journey of Astral Knowledge from India and Eurasia to China
This lecture explores how astral knowledge travelled across Eurasia and took root in China during the first millennium CE. Through a series of case studies, it examines moments of intercultural scientific dialogue in which monks, merchants, and travellers from India and other parts of Eurasia engaged with Chinese intellectual and religious communities during some of China’s most cosmopolitan periods. Drawing on close comparisons between Chinese sources and parallel materials preserved in their original languages—most notably Sanskrit and Pāli Buddhist texts, as well as works associated with Nestorian, Zoroastrian, and Manichean traditions—the lecture highlights concrete processes of transmission, adaptation, and reinterpretation. By foregrounding the human agents and cultural contexts that shaped these exchanges, it offers a nuanced account of how foreign astral sciences were negotiated, transformed, and localised in China, thereby shedding new light on the broader role of cross-cultural scientific exchange in East Asian history. The case studies and key findings presented in this lecture are drawn from the author’s recent book, Foreign Astral Science in China— from the Six Dynasties to the Northern Song (Needham Research Institute Monograph Series, Routledge).
24 February 2026
India and China: 2500 Years of Shared Wisdom, Innovation, and Influence
For over two and a half millennia, India and China have been among the world’s most enduring
and influential civilizations, shaping the course of Eurasian history through philosophy, science,
and governance. This lecture explores their long shared history, highlighting both commonalities and striking differences, and examines how ideas, technologies, and ethical principles travelled between them. Focusing on three key areas—ethics and philosophy, geopolitics, and scientific advancement—the lecture draws connections between the past and the present, asking how these ancient civilizations can continue to thrive and contribute to the challenges of the twenty-first century. Through vivid examples and a broad historical lens, students will gain a deeper appreciation of the remarkable interplay between India and China and the enduring lessons it offers today.
25 February 2026
The Origin of Zero: Debates, Discoveries, and Hands-On Exploration
Zero is one of the most fascinating and transformative concepts in human history—but how and where did it originate? This workshop explores the ongoing debates surrounding the invention of zero, from its widely recognised conceptual and numerical development in India to earlier or parallel forms in Babylonian, Chinese, and Greek systems. Participants will engage directly with these ancient numeral systems through hands-on exercises, learning how arithmetic operated across different cultures and how zero functioned as both a concept and a practical tool. By combining historical inquiry with interactive experimentation, the workshop offers a unique opportunity to understand the controversies, discoveries, and enduring significance of zero in the history of mathematics.
27 February 2026
Before Āryabhaṭa: The Hidden Origins of Indian Astronomy
The history of Indian astronomy is often told as beginning with Āryabhaṭa and the classical Siddhānta tradition. This lecture challenges that narrative by recovering earlier and largely forgotten foundations of astronomical thought in India. Drawing on newly examined manuscripts and neglected Sanskrit texts, it highlights two understudied domains: pre-Siddhānta astronomical theories associated with the schools of Parāśara and Garga, and Greco-Indian (yavana) astral literature such as the Yavanajātaka. These traditions not only shaped the emergence of Siddhānta astronomy but also participated in wider networks of scientific exchange linking India with the Hellenistic world, Persia, and China. By presenting recent discoveries and reassessments of these sources, the lecture invites a rethinking of how Indian astronomy developed—and how its early history fits into the broader global history of science.