
May 24, 2026
✦Indian Express
What a raingauge tells us about Indian science history
An ancient Indian text, the Arthashastra, details a sophisticated rainfall measurement system from around 300 BCE. This system used standardized clay bowls and units like the "drona" to collect data for policy decisions. The text states, "it contains the details of a complete operational system for measuring rainfall," predating similar networks in Korea and Europe by centuries.