Religious Fanaticism: The Silent Drag on India’s Science and Tech Potential

 

Religious Fanaticism: The Silent Drag on India’s Science and Tech Potential

India stands at a crossroads. With a burgeoning tech sector, a young workforce, and ambitions to rival global powers, it has the raw ingredients to be a science and technology titan. Yet, something holds it back: religious fanaticism. From ancient missed opportunities to modern-day distortions, this entrenched mindset has repeatedly stifled India’s potential. Data and history bear this out, despite the oft-cited counterclaim that devout scientists — like those at ISRO — prove religion and innovation can coexist. Let’s unpack the evidence, trace the thread through time, and dismantle that rebuttal.

A Historical Pattern: Faith Over Inquiry

India’s scientific legacy dazzles — think Aryabhata’s astronomy or the invention of zero. But rewind to the classical era, and a pattern emerges. By the Gupta period (4th–6th century CE), when Indian mathematicians and astronomers thrived, religious orthodoxy began tightening its grip. The rise of Vedic ritualism and later Bhakti movements prioritized metaphysical speculation over empirical rigor. Contrast this with the Islamic Golden Age (8th–13th centuries), where scholars like Al-Biruni built on Indian math while India’s own momentum slowed. Historian Romila Thapar notes that by the medieval period, Brahminical dominance sidelined secular inquiry, relegating science to caste-bound silos.

Colonialism amplified this. While Europe’s Enlightenment fueled the Industrial Revolution, India’s 19th-century scholars — like Ram Mohan Roy — faced resistance from religious elites wary of Western rationalism. The 1835 shift to English education sparked a scientific renaissance, but it was curtailed by a society steeped in superstition. A 2018 study in Science Advances found that nations with rigid religious beliefs — like India, ranked 66th in secularization among 109 countries — saw GDP growth lag behind secular peers. India’s per capita GDP grew 26-fold from 1958 to 2018, yet co-author Damian Ruck argues it could’ve doubled more without religious drag.

Modern Metrics: Fanaticism’s Toll

Fast-forward to 2025. India’s R&D spending languishes at 0.7% of GDP (World Bank, 2023), dwarfed by China’s 2.4% or the U.S.’s 3.5%. The Global Innovation Index ranks India 40th (2022), a leap from 81st in 2015, but it trails South Korea (6th) and Sweden (3rd) — nations with higher secularization and STEM investment. Why the gap? Religious fanaticism diverts focus and funds. The 2023 Pew Research Center report found 91% of Indians rate religion as “very important,” a 12-point rise since 2004, outpacing economic priorities in public discourse.

This fervor spills into policy. The 2022 promotion of “Panchagavya” (cow-based remedies) by the Ministry of AYUSH consumed ₹500 crore in research grants, per a CAG audit (Report №11 of 2023), despite zero peer-reviewed evidence of efficacy. Meanwhile, the Indian Science Congress has faced criticism for platforming pseudoscience — like claims of ancient Hindu aviation — diluting its credibility. A 2021 survey by the Indian National Science Academy found 62% of scientists felt societal superstition hampered critical thinking, with 38% citing religious interference in funding decisions.

Social fallout compounds this. The NCRB reported 1,028 hate crimes in 2021, many tied to religious vigilantism, disrupting academic hubs like JNU and AMU. STEM enrollment among minorities — 14% Muslim, per AISHE 2022 — lags, with communal tensions deterring talent. India’s brain drain persists: 68% of IIT graduates emigrated in 2023 (Ministry of Education), often citing cultural rigidity alongside economic factors.

The ISRO Counterargument: A Flawed Defense

Critics argue, “What about ISRO? Its scientists pray before launches — proof religion boosts science!” ISRO’s feats — like Chandrayaan-3 — are undeniable, ranking India 4th in spacefaring nations (2023, UNOOSA). Many engineers, like ex-chief K. Sivan, are devout, blending rituals with rocket science. A 2019 study of Indian scientists found 73% saw “basic truths” in religion, per MDPI, suggesting compatibility.

But this misses the point. ISRO thrives despite, not because of, fanaticism. Its success stems from a secular, merit-driven ecosystem insulated from broader societal noise — NASA-inspired, not temple-led. Personal faith among scientists doesn’t equate to institutional fanaticism. The same study found only 18% saw conflict between science and religion, but 62% opposed dogmatic interference in research. ISRO’s ₹12,500 crore budget (2023–24) reflects pragmatic priorities, not prayer-driven policy. Contrast this with the ₹6,491 crore spent on government ads (2014–2022, RTI data), often touting religious nationalism over STEM.

The counterargument also cherry-picks. For every ISRO triumph, countless labs struggle. A 2022 Nature report found 45% of Indian research papers lacked international collaboration, partly due to cultural insularity tied to religious identity. Fanaticism’s real damage isn’t in devout scientists — it’s in the systemic distortions they navigate.

The Throughline: Past to Present

Historically, religious fanaticism ossified India’s scientific edge. The 12th-century destruction of Nalanda by Bakhtiyar Khilji wasn’t just a loss of texts but a symbol of dogma crushing inquiry. Today, it’s subtler — cow urine patents over cancer cures, riots over reason. The 2024 USCIRF report downgraded India’s religious freedom status, noting violence against minorities stifles diverse talent pools critical for innovation. India’s 150th press freedom rank (2024, RSF) reflects a climate hostile to dissent, science’s lifeblood.

Unlocking Potential

India could soar if fanaticism loosened its grip. Doubling R&D to 1.4% of GDP by 2030 — matching China’s 2010 level — could yield 5% annual patent growth (currently 2%, WIPO). Secular education reforms, like Finland’s (PISA rank 1st), could lift STEM literacy from 36% (ASER 2022). A 2023 UNESCO projection estimates a $1 trillion GDP boost by 2040 with gender and minority inclusion — both stifled by communal divides.

Religious fanaticism isn’t India’s sole barrier, but it’s a persistent one. History shows it dulled a golden age; data proves it curbs a tech age. ISRO’s stars shine bright, but they’re outliers in a clouded sky. To rival the world, India must prioritize evidence over edicts — then its true potential might finally ignite.