TRADITIONAL SCHOLARS AND PRACTITIONERS HONORED

On the concluding day of the Congress a public function was held to honor outstanding practitioners and scholars who have contributed to strengthening the Traditional Sciences and Technologies. A citation was read out and they were decorated with a shawl by Sri. Sunderfal Bahaguna.

The following is the list of these practitioners:

1. Vaidya BP. Nanal, Ayurvedic Practitioner, Pune

2. Hakim Taiyab, Unani Physician, Aligarh.

3. Bramhananda Swamigal, Siddha Physician, Coimbatore.

4. Sri.Ganapathi Sthapathi, Traditional Architect, Madras.

5. Sri. Ram Sundar, Traditional Iron Smelter, Madhya Pradesh.

6. Sri.KanippayyurKrishnan Nambudri, Traditional Architect, Kerala.

7. Sri.Prahladachar, Navya Nyaya Scholar, Bangalore.

8. Sri.V.S.Chandramouli, Expert on Natural Dyes, Bangalore.

Publications on Traditional Science and Technology
1. WATER MANAGEMENT TRADITIONS IN INDIA, Uma shankari & Esha Shah, pp-75, Rs.35

An overview of indigenous technologies of water storage conservation, conveyance, control and related management practices.

2. BAMBOO IN DANDAKARANYA, Vinoo Kaley et al, pp-89, Rs.35

A portrait of the structure of technology as developed by communities in intimate relatonship with their environs. An ecologically sound as well as socially meaningful answer to exploitation.

3. THE COLOUR OF OUR LIVES, K.V.Chandramouli, pp-79., Rs,50

A first book on natural dyes for an aspiring practitioner. A panel containing samples of dyed cloth included.

4. INDIAN MATHEMATICS: AN INTRODUCTION, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, pp-110, Rs.40

An introduction to the power, simplicity and delight of arithmetic techniques, especially for school children.

5. TRADITIONAL INDIAN AGRICULTURE: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY, K.Vijayalakshmi, pp-113., Rs. 125(hb).

The annotated bibliography presents the results of a first attempt at surveying the Traditional Indian Agriculture.

6. THE EQUITY PAPERS, C.V.Seshadri, Rs.100

The paper questions the fundamentals of the modern conceptions of time and thermo dynamics.

7 GROUNDWATER IN VARAHAMlHIRA'S BRHAT SAMHITA, E.A.V.Prasad pp-351.
Rs.250(hb).

An exposition of the ancient Indian treatise from the standpoint of valid and verifiable scientific norms.

8. INDIAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, Dharampal, pp-325. Rs.50

A seminal contribution to historical research that shatters modern post- colonial
interpretations of the past.

9. SOME ASPECTS OF EARLIER INDIAN SOCIETY AND POLITY AND THEIR RELEVANCE TO THE PRESENT, Dharampal, pp-54., Rs.20

A new perspective on traditional Indian Society that goes radically counter to the mainstream academic view.

10. INTRODUCING THE-TRADITIONAL S&T CONGRESS, pp-26. Rs.25

A booklet that introduces .the reader to the perspective behind the Congress.

11. KEYNOTE PAPERS AND EXTENDED ABSTRACTS, pp-250. Rs.150(sb) Rs.250(hb)

Containing about 250 abstracts and six keynote talks and theme papers, this volume covers all the themes of coverage of the Congress.

12. SOUVENIR: CONGRESS ON, pp-137, Rs 100 TRADITIONAL SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES OF INDIA,

A book containing the background philosophy, perspective, objectives and activities of the five day Congress. It contains a detailed account of the conference sessions, exhibitions, films and workshops that were part of this event.

13. DRAFT REPORTS ON TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES HAVE ALSO BEEN PREPARED ON A VARIETY OF THEMES: (Only single copies of these drafts are available for Reference)

(a) Bee-keeping and Honey

(b) Vegetable Oils

(c) Food preservation in Karnataka region (Kannada)

(d) Pottery and Ceramic Ware

(e) Brick making

(f) Charcoal

(g) Vaastu Vignanam

(h) Building materials in Kerala

(i) Building materials in Tamil Nadu

(j) Bamboo and Cane in Assam

(k) Leather

(I) Handicrafts of Varanasi (Hindi) (m) Iron and Steel

(n) Copper recovery by Niyariyas of Mirzapur

(o) Indigenous Techniques of Metallurgy

(p) Techno economic survey of Iron and Steel Workers

(q) Handlooms

(r) Khadi and

(s) Brocades of Banaras.

REPORT ON THE OPEN HOUSE DISCUSSIONS

Report on the Open House Discussions -1

Are The Congress Activities Questionable?

On 30.11.93, an open discussion took place in Hostel 8 of HT.Powai among the (IT students (I.S.) and some Congress delegates (CD.) on the issue of the justification of the Congress activities. K.Subramaniam, Department of Theoretical Physics, University of Madras gives a firsthand account of the discussion.

Question (Q). What is the justification for spending Rs.35 lakhs on this Congress?

Response (R). The money spent on the Congress is always justifiable because: a) The Congress provides a brilliant opportunity for the modem scientists and the traditional scientists to interact and explore the areas of common interest. This is because most of the modern scientists are not familiar with several traditional scientific activities. This Congress, as a matter of fact, puts the cart before the horse and the modem scientists are supposed to connect the one with the. b) In the era of 'the green peace movement to protect the environment and financial stress this is quite relevant that we pay due attention to the traditional sciences and improve them further. All the more, this Congress is committed to highlight the relevance of the traditional sciences by way of producing monographs/reports and so on. Furthermore, the Congress/conferences on 'modern sciences' are somewhat regular features, yet, the Congress on Traditional Sciences is the first of its kind in the history of congresses on Indian Science.

Q. What purpose is being served by organizing such a Congress in which we look back to the age-old traditions?

R: The very fact that such a question - why do we look back to our age old traditions - when comes into the minds of students of IIT can suggest that they have started thinking about the Congress. This can and will always suggest the IIT students are now being aware of the traditional sciences. There lies the justification for holding such a Congress. Further, the very fact that someone from IIT has shown how the waste food can be converted into a green garden will always highlight that the traditional sciences are still quite relevant to the modem context.

Q. Why do you call this Congress as CTSTI instead of Congress on Traditional Methods?

R. Science and Technology is creativity, applicability, and distribution. We have had
certain practices created at a point of time, applicable to a group of people which
have distributed and served the purpose of satisfying their needs. You may call it the
way you like it.

Q. What is the use of studying such a traditional science?

R: Well, today we find that modern technologies are not able to satisfy our needs. This also promises to be a threat in the near future. We, as the students of science should understand the science behind the technology irrespective of its modernity or traditionalist. For example, when we manufacture microchips we follow a set of thumb rules even today and the rationale behind it is yet to be worked out.

Q. Do you think that we do not understand the science behind the traditional
technology?

R: The term science should not be conceived in a narrow sense. Science tries to create models. These could be served as models for the same thing the debate is which model is more appropriate at a particular point of time and situation. To arrive at a compatible model is also a part of science and is one of the motivations behind the Congress. This Congress sets the pointer to search that compatible model.


Report on the Open House Discussions - II
Brain Storming Session on Future Directions

Late in the evening of December 01, 1993 an informal session was organized to get the participants views about the future directions of (1) the structure of the Congress and (2) the tangible effects flowing out of this Congress. Though it was meant to be a "brain storming session" this effect could not be captured during the session which started at about 9pm. largely due to the venue at which the session was held - a formal Lecture Theatre. This context of the session led various participants to go up the dais and present whatever their understanding of the improvements they thought ought to be carried on, with very little discussions on those views. One of the participants even saw the banality of the session when he rendered a song instead of airing his views.

On the whole about twenty five participants aired their views / suggestions. Most of the suggestions centered around the format of the future Congresses' - a lot many of them suggested organizing spectral themes during separate days at separate colleges / places participants in vernacular media. Prof.C.V.Seshadri's comment on this suggestion was to limit this thinking of 'separating the issues' so that the traditional sciences and technologies discourses do not fall prey to reductionism that 6 the half mark of the Western Science. There were some suggestions to reduce the number of days of the future Congresses, and then such occasions should encourage young participants by way of subsidizing the registration fee for such categories e.g. College students or NGO groups. Many participants suggested introduction of concepts and theories relating to traditional sciences and technologies in the cumcula at all levels of education, through the -production of 'capsule versions' of these and passing them over to agencies like NCERT etc. There was one suggestion that the 'researchable problems' in these areas should be assigned by the guides to Ph.D. students. Some participants suggested technological assessments of the traditional technologies, - on their socioeconomic implications and their cost effectiveness etc. This line of thinking was extended by one participant who wanted the debate on the desired forms of society' that we seek to build to be reopened in the light of new findings in traditional technologies. There was a plea that critical studies and analyses be undertaken to study the efficacy of the traditional technologies. There was a lone voice suggesting more consultations and participation with S&T related social movements and groups such as Tamilnadu Science Forum etc.

EXHIBITIONS AND DEMONSTRATIONS: SOME GLIMPSES

Natural Farming (Krishi Kheti)

Titus farm of Hoshangabad presented a strong case for natural farming carrying the motto of “no ploughing, no fertilizers, no weeding and no medicine". This way of .farming provides natural crops in the highest yield in an increasing manner. It protects bio-diversity and can control climate changes, helps to stop soil erosion and environmental pollution. Being in it for the last eight to ten years, Mr.Raju Titus finds natural farming a sustainable way of living according "to nature. KAVERI HUT Committed Communities Development Trust (LCDT) had put up its exhibition on the community based services for the urban poor and tribal rehabilitation and education within city environs. The CCDT displays the products of the adivasis as well as educational material. The idea behind the effort is to raise the awareness level of communities and get them to participate in their own development.

Pottery

Gramodaya Sangh (Bhadravati) provides the traditional pottery made on the hand operated potter's wheel. The products are of earthen material ceramics and glazed material.

Natural Dyes

Madhubani painters from Bihar and Kalamkari painters from Andhra1Pradesh exhibited their colorful paintings.

Handicrafts From Varanasi

Nari Hasta Kala Udyoga Samiti from Varanasi put up a fine display of their handicrafts.
Largely an all women organization, it generates employment for the women artisans and
encourages self sustenance.

Demonstrations
Siddha Medicine

Vaidya Brahmanand Swamigal is a Siddha physician enjoying a high reputation among the physicians in North as well in South. In demonstration in the section on Aushadh1kanan, (Pharmacology) He purified Mercury-by-using the ashtadash samskar. The term Purification here is used in a technical sense, meaning that the metal is rendered fit for human consumption. He prepared a gum (not explained) using earlier purified rose water and then mixing the mercury to blow away the impurities. He made the mercury ready to be given as a medicine in any condition, be it disease or for the maintenance of health or as rejuvenation therapy. Vd.Swamigal's methods are disclosed only partly, just as the traditional wisdom has been passed to him by his guru. However/the results are there for everyone to see. Late in the evening (30th November), he demonstrated the smelting of common salt on the fire. What he mixed with the salt is not disclosed. The salt along with other unknown ingredients were put on coal fire and smelted. This salt according to him, is fit for consumption and has therapeutic value if used every t day instead of common salt.

Painless Tooth Extraction

A free dental camp was organized by Vaidya Labh Shanker Shukla from Rajkot to avail the benefit of pain free tooth extraction and general, advice on tooth care. The tooth extraction is done under the unique Ayurvedic method of Jatartdhar bandh yoga - sans injections and anaesthesia. The success of the method had led to setting up of an Ayurvedic Dental Research Centre and Hospital at Ratanpur near Rajkot in Gujarat. This is the first of its kind. The financial support for the hospital has come from the Industrial Houses - Dalmia, Mafatial and Shri.Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust. The Jamnagar Ayurveda University has given recognition to the diplomas and degree courses on Dentistry by this Research Centre. Vd Labh Shanker Shukla is the moving force behind the efforts. He was available for free consultation at the exhibition for tooth extraction and general consultation during the entire course of the Congress.

Exhibits on Vrkshayurveda

Vrkshayurveda section of the exhibition displayed a remarkable range of information on plants their medicinal value, plant anatomy, soil classification, testing, and treatment, plant propagation, plant taxonomy, etc. It goes on to tell about rules for watering, causative factors and symptoms of plant disease arid their treatment The above information has come from the classical Indian texts dealing directly or indirectly with Vrkshayurveda.

"Madhava" - Diagnostic Software based on Madhavanidana

A Computer software 'MADHAVA' developed at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Pune, was on display at the Exhibition. This system is intended to be a diagnostic aid for, practicing Vaidyas. It has a set of 5000/symptoms as input from which the vaidya selects the symptoms presented by the patient and their severity is also entered, j Based on the set of symptoms selected and their severity, the system provides a diagnosis of the most probable diseases with which the patient is afflicted. This is a unique knowledge based expert system using the GIST technology developed at C - DAC. Because of the GIST technology, the data from text has been entered in Devanagari Script maintaining its sanctity and this data can be seen in any other Indian script, thereby increasing its usability all over India. Also on display are software’s developed for Analysis of Prakruthi (Constitution) and Learning Ayurveda from Brihat Trayee. This is being demonstrated by Vd.Venugopal of LSPSS, Coimbatore.

Natural Farming Kalpavruksha Farm

A six hectare farm situated off the Bombay-Baroda railway line was on heavy fertilizer application during the '50s and '60s with quite unsatisfactory results. Now, with the application of natural farming, the farm, now called Kalpavruksha Farm, is very healthy. The yield is very high. The soil is full of life. There are signs of abundant earthworm activity; the top layer is covered almost completely with earthworm castings in heaps. Humus in the soil is very high. Life supporting organisms of all kinds abound in the soil. Water usage is very low. Effort needed for the cultivation is very low. On the whole the enterprise is very profitable. This is natural farming. The logic of nature is sustainable activity.

A Profile of Participants and Feedback
There seems to be a lot of variation in the background and kind of work done by the participants who were present at the Traditional Sciences Congress, despite convergence of interest in matters related to Traditional Science and Technology. A cursory analysis of 264 feedback forms filled in by the participants at the Congress reveals that a large majority are engaged in the field of, or seem' interested in, traditional medicine, such as qualified ayurvedic doctors, researchers, etc. Botanists and others interested in medicinal properties of plants have also recorded interest iri traditional Indian medicine. Agriculture and Water Management; come next Jin terms of area of;1 interest of participants. Sustainable farming, organic farming, traditional irrigation, water usage etc., are among the topics of general and specific interest. A majority feel that traditional medicine and agriculture are the strong points t about traditional, science and technology in the country. It is apparent from this that those traditional sciences and technologies that are pervasive and have been operating .successfully, and those that pertain to basic conditions of existence such as health, food production etc., are the ones that evoke most interest.

Handicrafts, designing and architecture also seem to account for a considerable number of participants apart from which people interested in development issues, policy etc., and figure as a distinct group. It seems that a remarkable percentage of the participants feel that grassroots level work js definitely necessary for revitalizing traditional science and technology, though the number of them actually engaged in that kind of work is quite small. Academics and Research Scholars constitute the bulk of. participants and ironically the most common feedback about the Congress from these academics themselves was that it was more "academic", "high-flown" in nature and needs to be more down to earth and practical. About 50 out of 264 participants" seem to have some concrete plans about their contributions to the promotion of traditional .science and technology, but again, most of them are inclined to make academic contributions like papers, projects, articles, etc., in this direction. Students were very less among participants and even" those who were there seem to have nothing significant to say about the issues raised. The practitioners of traditional science and technology that is the artisans, weavers, agriculturists and traditional vaidyas were particularly less among those who filled in the forms, understandably because they may have not known to read or write or the idea of filling in a questionnaire may have been alien to them.

In general, all these point out to the dire need to shed the tendency to academic, conference oriented model and adopt a more broad-based and application oriented model for the next Congress wherein issues bearing upon the actual practitioners of traditional S & T and their lives, are well brought out.



Author:V.Sujatha

PLENARY SESSIONS - SOME EXCERPTS

List of Speakers
Anil Agarwal, Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi.
Current Water Crisis and the Relevance of Traditional Water Management Systems.

Nirmal Sengupta, Madras Institute of Development Studies, Madras.
Traditional Water Management Systems: Primitive of Precious?

Ramesh Nanal, Ayurvedic Vaidya, Bombay.
Indigenous Medical Heritage: Current Relevance and Future Potential.

Anil Gupta, Centre for Management of Agriculture, Indian Institute, of Management,
Ahmedabad.
Learning from Farmers Wisdom.

L.C.Jain, New Delhi.
Indian Textile Industry Since Independence: policies, Trends and Future Prospects.

Sunil Sahasrabuddhey, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi.
"Science and Society: The Unfolding Issues Beginning from the European invasion of India.

P.K.Mukhopadhyay, Department of Philosophy, Jadavpur University, Calcutta.
Recent Advances ln Revitalization of Theoretical Sciences of India.

S.R.Rao, Adviser, National Institute!of Oceanography, Goa
From Indus Valley to Rig Veda: Lessons from Science and Technology Tradition.

S.Bannerjee, Director, Steel Authority of India- Limited-(R&D),-Ranchi
Metals-Industry of Ancient India and its Relevance the Present Context.

Ganapathi Sthapathi Director Vastu. Vedic Research Foundation, Madras.
Scale: An important Aspect of Design and a Significant Aspect of Spiritual Architecture.

Madhav Gargil Centre for Environmental Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Fork Traditions in Management of Forest Resources.

Anil Date, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology,
Bombay

Traditional Industry - What Can We Make of It?


Excerpts
Science and Society

Sunii Sahasrabudhey, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Varanasi, gave a plenary address on the Social sciences theme, and spoke on "Science and Society: The Unfolding Issues Beginning from the European Invasion of India". He said that we have to return to the first principles, rejecting ideas of modern thought, for understanding the pre-British Indian society. We understand very little of that society. It was an entirely different kind of society and its thinking is mostly unfamiliar to us. We must learn to appreciate this point today.

In recent years, there has been an extensive study on Chengalpet area of the Eighteenth century (undertaken by PPST Foundation some six years ago, based on a comprehensive survey done by the British). This study throws interesting light on the fiscal structure and functioning of our society prevalent those days. According to this, less than 20% of the revenue went to the central exchequer. The rest remained at the local level and was allotted to different type of community activities. It is absurd to speak of "Asiatic despotism" in such a revenue system. The society had structured its financial initiative in a complex way. That the state then was not just a "law-and-order" state is obvious from the revenue system which is extensively documented in the Chengalpet Survey data. Such a power distribution is one of the many such unmistakable indicators of the existence of a different type of society.

The structures of organization of any society are isomorphic with the structure of sciences and technologies of that society. The logic of sciences and technologies has to be the same as that of the society if the sciences and technologies are to be functional. Hence we cannot hope to have that, science and technology with the present society without bringing into existence a society like the one which supported traditional sciences and technologies. There are two approaches to look at traditional sciences and technologies: (1) One is to merely look , at technical side of sciences and technologies. That would imply that we look at traditional society as rituals. (2) Other is to look at social side of sciences and technologies.

Theoretical Sciences

Prof.P.K.Mukhopadhyaya, Dept of Philosophy "Jadavpur University, Calcutta delivered the Plenary Address for the Theoretical Science theme of the Congress on "Advances in Revitalization of Theoretical Sciences of India". He said that the long overdue process of revitalization of theoretical tradition has been delayed and is yet to attract wide attention due to certain prevalent misconceptions. One of the misconceptions is that the Traditional thought of India is a matter of the past. This is simply due.-to ignorance that the tradition is alive among living practitioners..On the other hand, a claim is made that sciences are universal. Yet, the Indian sciences are not taken as universal but a matter of past. This is simply an obnoxious logic by which one even refuses to examine traditional theoretical sciences of India. "Traditional knowledge" neither means knowledge systems which, are .not living; nor does it mean knowledge systems which are not universal.

In recent years there has been substantial advancement in examining, understanding and promoting traditional theoretical knowledge in four areas: (1) Indian Linguistics: the result obtained after .the study of Paninian Vyakarana shows that in theory as well as in applications it is stronger than the contemporary European linguistics. It makes possible universally strong programme of computational linguistics of Indian language. (2) Indian Mathematics: we now have a better understanding of the Indian notion of 'proof. Many texts have been discovered and edited from which mathematical claims regarding optimal algorithms; mathematical ideas and methodology have been recently made. (3) In the area of Cognitive Science and Epistemology an in depth study of methodological foundation of sastras like Ayurveda has been, undertaken. Similarly, the concept of cognition in accordance with Nyaya and other Dansanas have been understood. (4) Similarly, new insights have been gained in the area of philosophy of language in the Indian as well as international context

Indus Valley to Rgveda

Prof.S.R.Rao, of National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, gave a Plenary Address on "Indus Valley to Rgveda : Lessons from Science and Technology Tradition". Four thousand year ago the Indus people had understood the importance of decimal calculations. We also find in Indus Valley civilization a tremendous amount of urban discipline. The people of that civilization had a high civic sense. Thirdly, the standardization of goods and services was realized by them. Weights and measures were uniform throughout the vast extent of the civilization. The social stratification was minimum. Their technology of bread-making out of semi-precious stone is still alive today. Their way of extraction of copper ore was also commendable.

Folk Traditions in the Management of Forest Resource

In his Plenary Address pertaining to the theme of Forestry, Prof. Madhav Gadgil, Centre for Environment/ Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, on "Folk Traditions in Management of Forest Resources", pointed out that the claim of modem management approach in our country is that the resource management is based on empirical sciences. This, he said, is a false claim. It has been proved on several occasions that the projections of the' modem resource management approaches about the stock of resources do not have any bearing on the rate at which the resources are exploited. The resource depletion occurred much before the projected dates. Modem science of resource management only legitimized excessive exploitations' of resources on the basis of sheer profit calculations. The gap between the projected stock and actual stock is due to lack of micro level understanding of the complex processes of interactions that occur in the ecosystem. The knowledge about micro level process may only be gained [from the local communities which have been monitoring the resource position from close quarters. Prof.Gadgil divided societies in contemporary world into two types: (a) Society of ecosystem-dependent people and (b) Society of bio-sphere dependent people. The former society tends to use resources on a sustainable basis. Whereas, biosphere dependent society constantly moves in search of resources by exploiting them one region after another without any consideration of sustainability. He illustrated this by giving example of paper plywood industry which exploited bamboo from different regions.

The logic of bio-sphere dependent society is hot the production of a particular product on a sustainable basis but generation of profits on an ever-increasing scale, no matter what the productivity. In the eco-system dependent society there are several cultural practices and norms which restrain over-exploitation of resources. Bio-sphere dependent societies which depend on modem science and technology have succeeded in understanding by modeling macro processes but have failed to understand micro level complex processes over time. He suggested some practices to achieve sustainable resource exploitation such as (1) A portion of the resource stock should be left untouched. (2) The knowledge available with the local communities of the resources position over time must be tapped. (3) The local communities can monitor the details of resource position from close quarters since they have informal information about history of resource-base. (4) Today scientists do not play any role in managing resources at local level because they do not have full information. The knowledge of folk society and scientific knowledge must be interpreted in order to maintain sustainable resource utilization.

A Practitioner of the Ancient Tradition of Temple Architecture: Shri.V.Ganapathi Sthapati

Shri.V.Ganapathl Sthapati comes from a family of distinguished temple builders and scholars. The family traces its ancestry back to Raja Raja Peruntachan who built the Thanjavur Brihadeeswara Temple. Unlike his father Shri.Sthapati is also educated with a B.A degree in Mathematics. He has contributed, a great deal to the tradition, as well as to the contemporary educational system. He was the principal of the Mahabalipuram College of Sculpture and Temple Architecture for over twenty five years. He has evolved a most effective syllabus through which young students would be imparted the traditional knowledge in a short space of time. Many of his students are involved in teaching and propagating the learning in various parts of the world. He has won several National and State Awards namely the Tulsi Samman, Vastu Vigyani and others. He has been involved in many prestigious projects such as the construction of the administrative and library buildings in the Thanjavur Tamil University. He is at present involved in a major project of designing and executing a 133 ft. high statue of Tiruvailluvar.at Kanyakumari as well as a stone temple in Hawaii, in the last couple of years Shri.Sthapati has been involved in research on the architectural tradition of India. He is the founder of the Vastu Vedic Research Foundation, which is publishing books based on the Vastu parampara. He was the resource person for the film "A Shilpi Speaks" which won the National Award in 1992.

Shri.Sthapati in his presentation recalled his experience as a creative sculptor and the inspiration that the ancient Indian wisdom codified in the Vedas and Upanishads gave him in accomplishing his creative work. There are two basic shastras - Vastu Shastra and Vaastu Shastra from which we can derive concepts of space and time unique to the Indian tradition.

Metals Industry of Ancient India

Dr.S.Banerjee of SAIL in his plenary talk on-"Metal Industry of Ancient India and its Relevance in the Present Context", gave an overview of the evolution of metallurgy in India through the ages as indicated by the archaeological evidence at different places. Gold and silver found at the Indus valley Bronze at Takshasila and the Delhi pillar built in 300 AD indicate the sophistication in the "development of metallurgy. He pointed out that today the metallurgy industry is in a different-state. Unlike in the ancient period, where the production of metals and metal alloys was decentralized, client-specific and need-based; today Iron and Steel industry requires large-scale investment for mass production for the market. It also has a long gestation period. Because of these features, technological innovation in steel industry is father infrequent. In our country, steel industry should develop linkages with customers, maintain quality 'reduce' costs and - produce on the basis of need.