Stealth bomber from Shastra!

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12.0pt">I want to apologize for my previous post, the

actual article didn’t make it through.

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12.0pt">This is from the Deccan Herald, Dated Nov. 2,

2002

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12.0pt">Krishna

Stealth bomber

from shastra

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10.0pt;font-family:Verdana;color:gray;font-weight:bold">By Rajesh Parishwad DH

News Service BANGALORE

color:gray">, Nov 1

A

glass-like material based on technology found in an ancient Sanskrit text that

could ultimately be used in a stealth bomber (the material cannot be detected

by radar) has been developed by a research scholar of

font-family:Verdana">Benaras Hindu University.

Prof

M A Lakshmithathachar, Director of the Academy of Sanskrit

Research in Melkote,

near Mandya, told Deccan

Herald that tests conducted with the material showed radars could not detect

it. “The unique material cannot be traced by radar and so a plane coated

with it cannot be detected using radar,” he said.

The

academy had been commissioned by the Aeronautical Research Development Board, New

Delhi, to take up a one-year study,

‘Non-conventional approach to Aeronautics,’ on the basis of an old

text, Vaimanika Shastra,

authored by Bharadwaj.

Though

the period to which Bharadwaj belonged to is not very

clear, Prof Lakshmithathachar noted, the manuscripts

might be more 1,000 years old.

The project aims at deciphering the Bharadwaj’s

concepts in aviation.

However, Prof Lakshmithathachar was quick to add that

a collaborative effort from scholars of Sanskrit, physics, mathematics and

aeronautics is needed to understand Bharadwaj’s

shastra.

The

country’s interest in aviation can be traced back over 2,000 years to the

mythological era and the epic Ramayana tells of a supersonic-type plane, the

Pushpak Vimana, which could fly

at the speed of thought.

“The

shastra has interesting information on vimanas (airplanes), different types of metals and alloys,

a spectrometer and even flying gear,” the professor said. The shastra also

outlines the metallurgical method to prepare

an alloy very light and strong which could withstand high pressure.

He

said Prof Dongre of BHU had brought out a research

paper Amshubondhini after studying Vaimanika Shastra and developed

the material. “There have been sporadic efforts to develop aeronautics in

the country’s history. There has never been a holistic approach to it.

Vaimanika Shastra throws up many

interesting details that can benefit Indian aviation programme,”

the director added.

Prof

Lakshmithathachar rubbished the tendency among

certain scholars to discount such ancient Sanskrit texts and said, “Why

would our scholars want to cheat future generations? Unless it was important,

nothing was written in the old days. The fact that there exists

manuscripts indicates the significance.”

The

academy has also embarked on other projects including ‘Indian concept of

Cosmology’ with Indian Space Research Organisation,

‘Iron & Steel in Ancient India — A Historical

Perspective’ with the Steel Authority of India Limited, and ‘Tools

& Technology of Ancient India.’

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