The two major personalities in the Indian nationalist struggle were Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi(1869–1948) is considered to be the leading figure of the Indian struggle for independence. Gandhi is famous for his principles of non-violence (ahimsa) and civil disobedience; he led millions of people through non-violent protests and campaigns like the Salt March and the Quit India Movement. The approaches that he used included individualism, social change, and consolidation of people of different groups. This leadership of Gandhi did not only motivate the Indian people but also the entire world civil rights movement.

Jawaharlal Nehru(1889–1964) was Gandhi’s follower a leader of the nationalist movement and the founder of modern India. Being the first Prime Minister of India, Nehru supported democracy, secularism and socialism in India. He dreamt of an industrialised India, a scientific India and an educationally developed India. Nehru is credited for the introduction of the parliamentary system as well as the formation of some of the most important institutions that helped India grow into a democratic country.

Thus, Gandhi and Nehru’s leadership was quite effective in the context of the Indian struggle for independence from British rule and in shaping the further development of the country.

Indian mathematicians and astronomers have contributed immensely in the study of the universe and have continued to do so in the ancient world as well as in the modern world.

In the ancient period, mathematicians like Aryabhata (476–550 CE) started solving many problems in mathematics and astronomy. Aryabhata in his work, the “Aryabhatiya”, used zero as a numeral, place value system and gave approximations of π. He also came up with a heliocentric theory of the solar system, he opined that the Earth also rotates on its axis, a theory that was revolutionary at that time.

Brahmagupta (598–668 CE) extended the mathematical ideas and laid down rules for arithmetic operations on negative quantities and quadratic equations. His astronomical work “Brahmasphutasiddhanta” contained procedures of finding planetary longitude and latitude and eclipses.

Further, Madhava of Sangamagrama (c. 1340–1425) who founded the Kerala School of Mathematics worked on infinite series and gave some of the ideas that was later developed by European mathematicians.

In the contemporary period, Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) provided remarkable contributions to the number theory, Continued Fractions, Infinite series and his works are still used in the present mathematics and physics.

These contributions have been very useful in the advancement of mathematical and astronomical knowledge all over the world, setting down basic principles that are still used to this date.

The Dravidian pattern of education also played a major role in the process of westernization of education in India especially during British rule. The Dravidian movement which was from South India was rationalism, self-respect and anti-caste movement which was in tune with a few of the Western education systems.

Some of the leaders such as Periyar E. V. Ramasamy supported education to change scientific attitudes and secularism. This movement paved the way for the change in the education system from being dominated by the Brahmins and opened the doors of education to the downtrodden. The focus on rationalism and scientific method was in harmony with the Western educational models, which resulted in the assimilation of these features into the Indian educational system.

The change was also brought about by the Western missionaries and colonial administrators who introduced English education to the Indians which helped in the spread of Western scientific and rationalism. The Dravidian movement’s demand for educational changes supported these initiatives and created a secular and less prejudiced educational setting.

This combination of Dravidian rationalism with the Western education system helped in increasing the acceptance of Westernized education in India. It led to the formation of institutions that encouraged free thinking, scientific temper, and rationalism which are the basic foundations of modern India’s educational system which is a combination of Indian and Western systems.

The contribution of Indian entrepreneurs towards global business has been immense in terms of innovation, sustainability, and leadership across the sectors. Prominent Indian leaders in international organizations include Sundar Pichai of Google, Satya Nadella of Microsoft, and former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi. These have shaped the directions of technologies, business management, and the integration of the disabled into the economy.

Companies such as Flipkart and Ola have brought drastic changes in the field of e-commerce and transportation in India. Their business models are copied by similar companies in other parts of the world. In the IT sector, Indian-origin companies like Infosys, Wipro and TCS have emerged as the world’s leading IT service providers for software development, consulting and outsourcing services.

Kind-heartedness from such business gurus as Azim Premji and ventures by tycoons such as Mukesh Ambani in telecommunications and retail have shifted the global market outlook. Indian talent in Silicon valley has boosted innovation, with many technology start-ups by Indian owners attaining unicorn status.

Moreover, Indian start-ups are outstanding in the field of sustainability and social innovation, such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and healthcare sectors impacting the global level. This cocktail of innovation, strategic planning and social responsibility underlines the impact of Indian entrepreneurs in the global business environment.