A few days afte BJP leader  Anurag Thakur said Lord Hanuman had been the first to travel in space, senior BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan claimed that India had flying machines long before the Wright brothers invented the aeroplane, while speaking at IISER Bhopal.

Pushpaka Vimana and ancient technology

Chouhan referred to the 'Pushpaka Vimana' mentioned in Hindu epics, claiming that India’s ancestors possessed advanced technology. He said, “We had the Pushpak Viman long before the Wright brothers. Drones and missiles that we have today have been with us for thousands of years. Our science and technology were already developed, as described in the Mahabharata.”

Standard history books credit Orville and Wilbur Wright for the first powered flight in 1903 in North Carolina, marking the start of modern aviation.

Connecting ancient texts with science

Chouhan is not the first Indian political leader to point to ancient texts as evidence of advanced knowledge. During his tenure as Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, he often cited the Pushpaka Vimana as proof of India’s early achievements in aviation, long before Western advancements.

Thakur’s ‘Hanuman in Space’ comment

Chouhan’s comments came closely after BJP leader Anurag Thakur’s statement to school students in Himachal Pradesh on National Space Day. When asked about the first space traveller, some students answered “Neil Armstrong.” Thakur replied, “Mujhe toh lagta hai Hanuman ji the” (I think it was Lord Hanuman).

Opposition’s reaction

DMK MP Kanimozhi condemned Thakur’s statement, calling it “deeply troubling”. She said, “Science is not mythology. Misleading children in classrooms is an insult to knowledge, reason, and the scientific temper our Constitution protects. India’s future depends on nurturing curiosity, not confusing fact with fable.”