Whines in India (was Re: "Science" in India)

[Bijoy Misra]

Michael,
I am sure you are not in the same league of India-bashing
as Steve Farmer is.  Can we give the country some credit
that's due?  To extrapolate that a faking Rajaram was
a product of failing Indian science is just dangerous
and is extremely subjective.

Again I am repeatedly told that this forum is not for
political opinions.  So why are these statements made
and as Dominic would say "needs airing"?  Do they really
to help the cause of "Indology"?

I would continue to say that the discipline in Indian
educational system is superior to many other systems.
However I believe thay are not matters for discussion
here.  Can we refrain?

Let us fight inobjective scholarship, but not a people!
All of us should examine our hearts for any bias in
reaching a conclusion.

Regards,

Bijoy Misra

On Mon, 23 Oct 2000, Michael Witzel wrote:

> >A total of 39 Science/Technology Institutes...
> >... eight (the largest number from any single country) are from India.
> >Five of the top eight schools are from India.
>
> >Even Japan .... has only five schools ....
>
>
> So sorry, fuzzy math!
>
> If Japan had the population of India, it should have/would need 8 times as
> many top institutions, thus c. 40  ....
>
> But, not with just 120 million people: for whom would they produce all
> these engineers/technocrats? For export?
>
> India has five schools and should have, in comparison to Japan's
> population, c. 40

>
> China (minus HK, Taiwan) with just 5 is roughly comparable.
>
> Simple absolute numbers don't do it. Otherwise, what about relatively small
> countries/units,
> Singapur and Hongkong, having one each??  Or, Thailand, etc. etc. etc.
> ========================================================
> Michael Witzel
> Department of Sanskrit & Indian Studies, Harvard University
> 2 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge MA 02138, USA
>
> ph. 1- 617-496 2990 (also messages)
> home page:  http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/mwpage.htm
>
> Elect. Journ. of Vedic Studies:  http://www1.shore.net/~india/ejvs
>