Symposium on Indian Astronomy and Mathematics
This one-day symposium brings together distinguished scholars to explore the depth, originality, and continuing relevance of India’s traditions in astronomy and mathematics. Situating India’s astral sciences within the broader history and philosophy of science, the symposium seeks to examine how knowledge was constructed, debated, transmitted, and applied across contexts. The lectures will engage both classical sources and contemporary research, fostering critical reflection on methodology, global exchanges, and practical applications. By connecting historical insight with present scholarship, the event aims to inspire sustained inquiry and explore meaningful pathways for integrating these knowledge systems into mainstream education and scientific discourse.
Lectures and Speakers
Prof. M. D. Srinivas
Seminal Contributions of the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics
Prof. M. D. Srinivas is a distinguished theoretical physicist and scholar of the history and philosophy of science. He earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Rochester, USA, after completing his BSc and MSc at Bangalore University. He served for two decades at the University of Madras, rising from Lecturer to Professor of Theoretical Physics. Since 1996, he has been Senior Fellow and Founder Chairman of the Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai. His work spans quantum mechanics, Indian scientific traditions, mathematics, astronomy, and public policy, with numerous influential publications and national-level academic appointments.
Dr. Shylaja B. S.
Celestial Knowledge in Everyday Life: Navigation, Architecture, and Maritime Practices
B. S. Shylaja is an astrophysicist, science educator, and former Director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bengaluru. Joining the planetarium in 1994, she pioneered astronomy education through workshops, long-running skywatch programs, and undergraduate training under REAP. Her research spans lunar studies, stellar spectra, comets, novae, and Wolf–Rayet binary stars, with over 120 refereed papers and 17 books to her credit. She has authored 300+ popular science articles and a monthly astronomy column since 1999. Her current work focuses on the history of astronomy, inscriptions, manuscripts, and the astronomical aspects of heritage monuments.
Prof. Bill Mak
The Origin of Zero: Debates, Discoveries, and Hands-On Exploration
Bill M. Mak is Professor of History of Science at the University of Science and Technology of China and Research Associate at the Needham Research Institute, Cambridge. His research spans the history of science in Asia, Sino-Indian relations, and Mahayana Buddhism. Trained in linguistics at McGill University (B.A. Hons., 1996), he specialized in Sanskrit and East Asian languages. He earned a PhD in Indian languages and literature from Peking University in 2010 and held posts in Hong Kong, Germany, and Japan. Mak has published peer-reviewed articles and co-edited Overlapping Cosmologies in Asia. He is completing Foreign Astral Sciences in China.