India has a rich and lasting tradition of scientific and technological achievement spanning mathematics, astronomy, metallurgy, medicine, civil engineering, and organized higher education since ancient times. The paper examines five domains in science and technology viz. the mathematical and astronomical development through the contributions of Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, and their successors; the metallurgical development; the surgical and anatomical knowledge; the urban planning and hydraulic engineering of the Indus Valley Civilization; and the institutionalized learning as reflected by Nalanda and Takshashila. The paper explores literature of archaeometallurgical studies, medical history, and the history of mathematics, and found that these achievements were the product of sustainable, collective learnt traditions that combined empirical observation, systematic documentation, and sharing of ideas across people of different generations. It is further reflected how these knowledge traditions diffused to the Islamic world, China, and Europe, shaping the global history of science. Implications for contemporary relevance in indigenous knowledge systems are discussed.
