In an age where the rise of superstition and political patronage for religious clerics has become disturbingly commonplace, it is painful to admit that the lofty ideals of scientific temper espoused by Jawaharlal Nehru seem increasingly distant from the realities of contemporary India. The gap between the Nehruvian vision of a rational, scientific approach to life and the prevailing forces of irrationality has never seemed so wide.
Nehru remains as relevant today as he was in the mid-20th century, a time when science and rationality were poised to shape India’s destiny. In 1947, he set India on a course toward modernity rooted in scientific thinking, firmly believing that “only science can solve the problem of hunger and poverty,” and that it was science alone that could eradicate the backwardness plaguing the country.
For Nehru, the concept of a scientific approach to life was not merely about applying science to industry or technology, but about fostering a rational mindset in every facet of society. He believed that scientific thinking—rooted in curiosity, observation, experimentation, and a willingness to revise conclusions based on new evidence—was not confined to laboratories but should permeate everyday life.
Science, in Nehru’s worldview, was a tool for combating superstition, intolerance, and dogma, forces he saw as holding back India’s progress. Religion, he argued, often led to irrationality and conflict, whereas science opened the door to progress, tolerance, and rational understanding. This was not a rejection of religious belief, but rather an emphasis on the necessity of a scientific outlook to confront the challenges of a newly independent India.
Even before independence, Nehru had been deeply concerned about the intellectual climate of the nation. Speaking at the Indian Science Congress in 1938, he declared, “Science is the true form of life. Only with the help of science can we solve the problems of hunger, poverty, illiteracy, superstitions and dangerous customs.”
His call for a scientific approach to national problems was rooted in his understanding of science as a way of thinking—objective, analytical, and evidence-based—that could transform society and improve the lives of its people. Science, Nehru believed, was not an abstract pursuit, but a practical tool for social and economic development.
His vision was clear: only through the systematic application of scientific principles could India overcome its centuries of backwardness. In his famous work, The Discovery of India, Nehru elaborated on his philosophical approach to science, emphasising its application not only in technical fields but in every sphere of life.
For Nehru, the scientific method was an attitude, an intellectual discipline that could guide every citizen. It was about questioning assumptions, testing hypotheses, and using reason to find solutions to problems, big or small.
He viewed this approach as essential to freeing India from superstition and prejudice. His vision was a secular India, where people would be free from religious dogma and could embrace the scientific worldview that he saw as vital for progress. He understood that the scientific approach was not just about discovering new facts, but about cultivating a mindset that prioritised rationality, evidence, and progress.
In The Discovery of India, Nehru also recognised that the application of science was inevitable in a rapidly modernising world. Yet, he insisted that the more important task was to foster a scientific mindset, which he believed was necessary not only for technological advancement but for solving the deeper, more intractable problems of society.
This was a crucial distinction—Nehru placed greater emphasis on the development of scientific thinking as a way of life, rather than merely applying scientific knowledge to solve specific problems. For him, science was more than just a tool for material progress; it was an essential way of life that would help India navigate the complex social and political challenges of independence.
Nehru’s commitment to science was not limited to rhetoric. As Prime Minister, he took concrete steps to institutionalise science and technology in India’s development. In the immediate aftermath of independence, Nehru recognised the urgent need to modernise India’s scientific infrastructure.
His government established several key scientific institutions, including the Indian Institute of Technology, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Nehru was a personal patron of Indian science, working closely with luminaries such as Homi J. Bhabha, the architect of India’s nuclear program, and S.S. Bhatnagar, the founder of CSIR. He believed that science was the cornerstone of India’s progress and that a scientific temperament could guide the country’s development.
In 1951, Nehru declared that science and technology were central to the nation’s development, a position he regularly articulated in Parliament and at the Indian Science Congress. His government made substantial investments in scientific research, and he personally oversaw the creation of the Department of Atomic Energy.
Nehru’s fascination with nuclear energy was not just about creating a new source of power; it was about asserting India’s position as a modern, scientific nation on the global stage. His partnership with Bhabha was particularly important in advancing India’s nuclear capabilities, a project that became a symbol of Nehru’s vision for the country’s scientific and technological future.
One of Nehru’s most enduring legacies is the concept of a scientific temper, a phrase he coined to describe the rational, evidence-based approach he envisioned every Indian adopting in their lives. Nehru saw scientific temper as the antidote to the regressive forces of religious orthodoxy and superstition.
In his view, it was not enough to apply science to the material problems of society; the scientific method had to be ingrained in the very fabric of Indian culture. It was a call to adopt reason, critical thinking, and scepticism as guiding principles in all aspects of life. Nehru’s scientific temper was about cultivating a mindset that questioned traditional beliefs, examined evidence, and arrived at conclusions based on reason rather than dogma.
In his 1958 address to the Indian Parliament, Nehru emphasised that the scientific approach was not just about producing scientific discoveries, but about fostering a way of thought process that valued experimentation, evidence, and reasoned analysis. He saw it as a tool for both individual empowerment and societal progress, an approach that could free people from superstition and encourage democratic values such as fairness, equality, and justice. The scientific method, Nehru believed, was essential not just for the development of technology and industry, but for the creation of a rational, progressive, and humane society.
Nehru’s commitment to scientific temper was enshrined in the Indian Constitution through the 42nd Amendment in 1976, which added the “development of scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry” as one of the fundamental duties of every citizen. This was a direct legacy of Nehru’s vision for India—an India that would be governed by reason, not superstition; by evidence, not emotion.
His belief in the power of science to shape society was more than just a political stance; it was a philosophical commitment to the idea that human progress could only be achieved through rational thought and empirical inquiry.
Today, as India grapples with the resurgence of superstition, religious intolerance, and pseudoscience, the ideals of Nehru’s scientific temper seem increasingly distant. Yet, they remain as relevant as ever.
The challenges that Nehru identified in his time—hunger, poverty, illiteracy, and superstition—continue to plague India, and the need for a rational, scientific approach to addressing them has never been greater.
In a world where the spread of misinformation and irrational beliefs is increasingly rampant, the revival of Nehru’s scientific temper may be the only antidote. It is a call to all of us to return to the rational, evidence-based thinking that Nehru so passionately championed—an approach that holds the promise of a brighter, more progressive future for India.
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