Plane from Vedic era, not Wright Brothers: UP Guv

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel claimed Vedic-era sage Bharadwaj conceptualised the idea of an aircraft but said the credit for its invention has gone to the Wright Brothers. Addressing a convocation function at a university, Patel said students should study ancient Indian texts to appreciate the unparalleled research and discoveries made by their ancestors.

“The sages and scholars of ancient India made remarkable discoveries and innovations that are benefiting the world even today,” she was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Raj Bhavan. Citing the example of Bharadwaj, the governor said, “He had conceptualised the idea of an aircraft, but the credit for its invention was given to another nation, and it is now recognised as the invention of the Wright Brothers.”

She made the speech at the 9th convocation of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University in Lucknow on Monday. Bharadwaj, a prominent ‘rishi’ from the Vedic age, is mentioned in both the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata. Orville and Wilbur Wright, together known as the Wright Brothers, are credited with flying the first self-propelled aircraft on December 17, 1903, in North Carolina, USA.

However, some BJP leaders have argued that the concept of a flying machine is demonstrated in the ‘Pushpak Vimana’ described in the Ramayana. Interestingly, a research paper presented at the 102nd Indian Science Congress in 2015 claimed that Shivkar Bapuji Talpade had flown a flying machine over Chowpatty in 1895, eight years before the Wright Brothers.

The paper also claimed that aeroplanes existed in India 7,000 years ago and were capable of travelling between countries and even planets. The paper, presented by a retired principal of a pilot training institute, attracted sharp criticism from some scientists who argued that it undermined the primacy of empirical evidence, which is the foundation of the 102-year-old Congress. At the convocation, Patel urged universities to encourage students to delve into ancient Indian texts to appreciate the unparalleled research and discoveries made by their ancestors, and described these texts as “true treasure troves of wisdom.” Referring to the Rampur Raza Library, she highlighted its priceless collection of ancient books and artwork, some of which remain vibrant to this day, the statement said. The colours used in these illustrations, derived from natural vegetation, have not deteriorated over time, Patel said.