For centuries, Ancient Greece has enjoyed the kudos of being regarded as the birthplace of science. Now India is hoping to trump the homeland of Archimedes — in part by laying claim to the world’s first nose job.

Generations of Indians have believed that Westerners such as Aristotle drove scientific advances, largely because the Indian education system was framed by Britain, according to N.R. Iyer, the director of Delhi’s National Science Centre.

“Students around the world learn only the history of Western science,” he said. “There is the widespread perception that science began in Greece. We want to correct this, and publicise advances made in India as long as 5,000 years ago.”

A new exhibition at the centre suggests that the study of atomic theory, mathematics, biology and cosmic evolution were all born in the subcontinent — when Britons were living in huts made of wattle and daub.

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