Where is the industry

Page 1

INFOCUS | INDIA-CHINA | TECHNOLOGY | COVER STORY

Bittersweet story

Where is the industry that turned gur into chini? |28| India-China Chronicle  July 2012

The simple, sweet gur from India was transformed into shiny white crystals of sugar in China; thus the name chini for sugar: A wonderful little tale of sharing and innovation between the two countries of the East.

S

ince ages, the flow of technology from east to west traversed through the old silk route. In 2nd Century BC, four major technologies – paper making, printing, gunpowder, silk and compass – developed in China changed the world. It is a well-known story that a Han princess smuggled silkworms and mulberry seedlings to the West via the Silk Route. Thus, technological exchanges between east and west during the 2nd century have been well documented. It is also well documented that technologies from India moved to China and vice versa. Historians also confirm such exchanges took place during the same period when Chinese travellers were first introduced to the extract from sugarcane; molasses or what is known as gur in Indian homes. This home-based technology was adopted by Chinese travellers, which was then further developed and refined into sugar granules in China. Over a period of time, the refined sugar was introduced to Indians by subsequent Chinese travellers and thus the white crystals of sugar came to be known as chini in the Hindi heartland, a tribute to its origins. There are many such examples of scientific knowledge being shared between the two civilizations. In the eighth century, Gautam Siddha translated Aryabhata’s astronomical signs into Chinese in his most famous work known as KaiyuanZhanjing. Gautam Siddha was a Chinese of Indian descent and he also translated the Naba-

graha calendar into Chinese. With such a glorious past of scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries, due to known and unknown reasons such strong engagement later remained disconnected for almost four decades. Even though politically we looked at opposite directions, the Wing Sung pen was one of the most popular Chinese items available in most households in India. Likewise, Indian yoga had crossed the borders and gained acceptance in China long time ago. We may have looked away from each other for political reasons but economic and social ties remained intact overtly and covertly during this time. The West has always tried to pit the two neighbours against each other in almost all types of international discourse. For instance, the Rand Corporation, an influential US strategic think tank in its report said China and India will exercise increasing influence in international affairs in the coming decades and each country’s role on the world stage will be affected by the progress that it makes and by the competition and cooperation that develop between them. In other words, as late as 2005, the West was still pitting the neighbours against each other. Their reasons are understandable because the combined market of India and China comprise more than 30 per cent of the global market. Status of Science & Technology Scientific research, invention, and innovation are key drivers for development and growth. The S&T prowess of both countries are well recognised. China emerging as a superpower in manufacturing due to its concerted efforts in the building block of manufacturing technologies through transfers, development, adaptation

PD Kaushik

Adviser - Legal Affairs, ICEC

silk route

July 2012  India-China Chronicle |29|


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