Page 63 - Science India August 2022

METROLOGY
Bringing Spotlight on India’s Metrological Strength
From uniform bricks of the Indus Valley Civilisation to gargantuan architectural structures in subsequent eras, there are ample proofs of India’s adherence to scientific standards of measurements, which the country must build upon for progress in the current century as well
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Aperson goes to the market to buy commodities, he/she asksfor1kgofsugaror2kg of mangoes, 4 metre clothes, etc. But what is 1 kg or 1 m? How do you define this amount as 1 wm or 1 kg? How can you ensure the amount you asked is what you get? All these ques- tions are answered using metrology.
Metrology in simple words means the science of measurement. The mea- surement science is the backbone of any economically and technologically devel- oped nation as it defines accuracy and precision of measure of any quantity. This helps to set laws and ways of en- forcement to establish the standard of products and thereby ensure the qual- ity of products used from daily life to industries. Therefore, measurement sci- ence is the basis of modern science, trade and technology, and consequently, the modern world. But what is this science of measurements? What was its status in the past? How did it evolve in India?
Where do we stand in today’s world? We try to find the answers to these questions in this article.
Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwara temple, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is an architectural marvel from the 12th century
Image Courtesy: Internet
AUGUST 2022
SCIENCE INDIA 63