For centuries, Sir Isaac Newton has been credited as the "Father of Gravity" for his work in defining the laws of motion and gravity. However, Rishi Kanada, an Indian philosopher over 2,200 years ago, had already laid the foundations for these principles in his book, Vaisheshika Sutra. From around 600 BCE, Kanada's work discussed gravity, motion, and force, similar to Newton’s discoveries.

This raises an important question: Why is Kanada not recognized for his early contributions? Why do we only celebrate Newton when Kanada's ideas were the first to be documented?

1. Reevaluating Historical Contributions:-

Over 2,000 years ago, before modern science tools existed, Rishi Kanada made groundbreaking observations about gravity and motion. His Vaisheshika Sutra described ideas similar to Newton’s laws, like how gravity causes objects to fall and that motion requires force. These early ideas suggest that Kanada laid the groundwork for gravity theory long before Newton. But, despite their importance, Kanada’s work is often ignored in education today. What if we’ve missed a key truth about gravity? To learn more, read my research paper, "Who Is the True 'Father of Gravity'? Kanada or Newton?" Read the full paper here with evidence and discover why Kanada deserves recognition!

2. Comparing Kanada’s Sutras and Newton’s Laws:-

In his book Vaisheshika Sutra, Rishi Kanada described concepts that strongly resemble Newton's laws, even though Kanada wrote them over 2,200 years before Newton. Here’s how Kanada’s sutras align with Newton’s principles:

Gravity:

• Kanada's Sutra 5.1.7: "In the absence of conjunction, falling occurs due to gravity" (Accuracy: 50%)
• Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation: Objects fall towards the Earth due to the force of gravity. Kanada's sutra describes gravity as the cause of falling, just like Newton’s law does.

Force and Motion:

• Kanada's Sutra 5.1.8: "In the absence of a specific force, upward motion does not occur, nor sideward, nor any motion." (Accuracy: 70-80%)
• Newton’s First Law of Motion (Inertia): An object stays at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by an external force. Kanada’s sutra also emphasizes that motion requires an external force, which mirrors Newton's idea of inertia.

Force Leading to Motion:

• Kanada's Sutra 5.1.17: "From the force on the bow, that motion of the arrow occurs, and that motion, caused by momentum, leads to subsequent motion, and further subsequent motion." (Accuracy: 50-60%)
• Newton’s Second Law of Motion (F = ma): Force causes motion, and the resulting motion can continue due to momentum. Kanada’s explanation of how force leads to motion and momentum aligns with Newton's law about force and mass acceleration.

Action and Reaction:

• Kanada's Sutra 1.1.14: "Action is opposed by reaction." (Accuracy: 80-90%)
• Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Kanada’s sutra expresses the same idea, showing that actions and reactions are interrelated.

Although Kanada didn’t use the mathematical formulas that Newton did, his observations were the first to describe the basic principles of gravity, motion, and action-reaction. These early ideas paved the way for Newton to later develop his scientific laws.

 3. Precedents: Why 'Father' Titles Go to Big Thinkers, Not Just Provers:-

In science, the title "Father" is often given to those who thought of the idea first, even if they weren’t the ones to prove it. These pioneering thinkers are credited for sparking the ideas that others later developed and proved. Here are some examples of scientists who earned the title "Father" based on their original ideas:

• Charles Darwin – Father of Evolution, even though proven by DNA studies and genetics years later.
• Nicolaus Copernicus – Father of Heliocentrism, even though proven by Galileo and Kepler decades later.
• Gregor Mendel – Father of Genetics, even though proven after his work was rediscovered decades later.
• John Dalton – Father of Atomic Theory, even though atoms were proven after modern electron microscopes in the 20th century.
• Alfred Wegener – Father of Continental Drift, even though proven by plate tectonics in the 1960s.
• Aristotle – Father of Biology, even though proven by modern biological science centuries later.
• Archimedes – Father of Hydrostatics, even though proven by later fluid dynamics research.

Just like these figures, Rishi Kanada deserves to be recognized as the "Father of Gravity" for his original ideas, which laid the foundation for Newton and modern physics.

4. Philosophical Argument: Seed vs. Roots:-

The "Seed vs Root" concept helps explain why Kanada deserves recognition as the "Father of Gravity":

Kanada’s Ideas were the seeds—the first observations and theories about gravity and motion, planted long before science had the tools to prove them. Think of it like a father planting a seed for his child’s future. The seed doesn’t grow into a tree on its own—it needs nurturing and care.

Newton’s Formulas are the roots—he took Kanada’s ideas and developed them into the full scientific system we use today. Just like a parenting father who nurtures a child, Newton cultivated those initial ideas and turned them into powerful scientific laws.

Without Kanada's seed, there would have been no roots for Newton to cultivate. Imagine a son who carries forward his father’s legacy. While the birth father (Kanada) may not have been able to fully raise the child (ideas), it was the parenting father (Newton) who helped the child grow into something complete and functional. Both fathers play an important role—the birth father for bringing the potential into existence, and the parenting father for nurturing that potential into a full-grown reality.

In this sense, Kanada’s seed sparked the truth about gravity and motion long before Newton could prove it. It’s time to give credit to the birth father, Kanada, for planting the idea that Newton later nurtured into modern science.

 5. My Demand:-

I am calling for dual recognition—Kanada as the "Father of Gravity" and Newton as the "Father of Modern Scientific Gravity"—because both deserve to be honored for their contributions.

Kanada’s sutras, written over 2,600 years ago, were the first ideas about gravity and motion. These ideas sparked the discoveries that Newton later turned into the laws we use today, over 2,200 years later.

By giving the title of “Father of Gravity” only to Newton, we miss the beginning of the story. Kanada saw gravity long before Newton could prove it with equations. It all starts with a thought—and Kanada thought of it first.

This isn’t about taking away from Newton’s brilliance, but about giving Kanada the recognition he deserves. Both of them played an important part: Kanada gave us the idea, and Newton turned it into the science we rely on.

By recognizing both, we honor the entire journey—from the first spark of an idea to the proof that followed. This is a story that needs to be told fully.

6. Our Call to Action:-

I urge educational institutions, policymakers, and global organizations to:

• Acknowledge Rishi Kanada as a key figure in the history of gravity.
• Educate by including Kanada’s work alongside Newton’s in school curricula.
• Advocate for global awareness of Kanada’s contributions to science.

By recognizing both Kanada and Newton, we celebrate the full story of gravity and inspire future generations to appreciate the diversity of knowledge.

 7. Join the Movement:-

Sign this petition to support a more complete and fair history of science. Share it widely to help bring about educational change. 
Read the full research paper with evidence to learn more about this issue.

8. About MyAim:-

This initiative is led by MyAim, a non-profit founded by Vikash Chaudhary. Our goal is to give a voice to the overlooked, fight for justice, and promote education. Visit myaim.help for more information.