Aryabhata was one of the greatest mathematicians and astronomers of ancient India, also called Aryabhata I or Aryabhata the Elder. He was one of the first scientists to consider midnight as the start of each day, and though he lived more than 1,500 years ago, his discoveries continue to amaze scientists today.
Origin Story: Aryabhata was born in 476 CE, either in Ashmaka or in Pataliputra, near modern-day Patna in Bihar. He lived in Pataliputra during the Gupta Empire, a famous centre of learning, and is believed to have been the head (kulapati) of an educational institution there, possibly associated with the nearby Nalanda University.
Scholarly Contributions: Aryabhata's most celebrated work, the Aryabhatiya, was composed around 499 CE, covering mathematics and astronomy in four sections. In it, he discussed arithmetic and algebra including the place value system (a noteworthy early use of zero), presented a model of a spherical Earth, and explained the causes of day and night and eclipses. He also wrote the now-lost Aryabhatasiddhanta, known through references by later scholars.
Achievements in Mathematics and Astronomy: Aryabhata used a place value system in his calculations and provided an approximation of Pi as 3.1416, remarkably close to the actual value. He proposed that the Earth rotates on its axis daily, explaining the apparent movement of stars, and scientifically explained solar and lunar eclipses as the result of shadows cast by the Earth and Moon - moving away from mythological explanations. He calculated the duration of Earth's rotation as 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds, remarkably close to the modern value.
Legacy and Recognition: Aryabhata passed away in 550 CE. His work was translated into Arabic and later reached Europe, influencing scholars across the world. Later astronomers like Varahamihira, Brahmagupta, and Bhaskara I built on his work. In 1975, ISRO named India's first satellite Aryabhata in his honour, and a crater on the Moon bears his name today.