Since Independence, India has drawn on science and technology as key pillars of the nation-building process. The vision of its first leaders, but especially Jawaharlal Nehru, was to foster a rational temper among the populace, empowering citizens not only to adopt technological advancements but also to imbue everyday life and national development with evidence-based reasoning and inquiry. The Constitution encodes the development of “scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform” as a fundamental duty of every Indian.
Immediately after Independence, India made significant investments in scientific institutions, research laboratories, and educational establishments, leading to the founding of the IITs, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Indian Space Research Organisation, among others.
