Abha, 10+2 (Med), Wisdom World School, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India - 136118

Nationality: Ancient India

Known to be: Astrology, Mathematics

Born: 499 AD (some scholars claim that he born in 505 AD)

Died: 587 AD

Varahamihira was a great scholar and astrologer of the Gupta age. Varahamihira, a man blessed with great scientific mind and vision, gave an outstanding contribution to the field of mathematics and astrology. He was born in 499 AD in a Brahman family in Ujjain. But some scholars claim that he born in 505 AD. His father Adityadasa was a worshiper of the Sun god and an astrologer as well. His father taught him astrlogy which late proved to be the base and goal of his life. On a visit to Kusumapura (Patna), Varahamihira met the great astronomer and mathematician Aryabhatta who helped Varahamihira shape his life as an astrologer and mathematician. He later, shifted to Ujjain which was a great centre of learning in the Gupta age.

Varahamihira, had several books on mathematics and astrology to his credit. His most famous book on astrology is 'Vihat Samhita' which is considered as the encyclopaedia on astrology and other sciences. Panch-Sidhantika, the Brahmajataka and the Laghujataka were other great books by Varahamihira. He illustrated and explained new rules and formulas of mathematics and astrology in these books. He improved the accuracy of the sine tables of Aryabhatta-I. He also discovered many basic trignometric formulas like Sin square X + Cos square X = 1. He also defined the algebraic properties of zero and negative numbers. He also played a vital role in the discovery of Pascal triangle. In short, he gave a new height to the learning of mathematics and astrology. He is still an unquestionable founding father of mathematics and astrology in the ancient India.

Brahmajataka is considered as one of the five major treaties on Hindu astrology. Kutuhala Manjari, Brihat Jataka, Laghu Vivaha Patal, Bihat Vivaha Patal, Samase Samhita, Yoga-yatra are other great works by Varahamihira on astrology. He described the impact of the moving pace of differenct planets on a man in his book Vihat Samhita.