Addressing a convocation ceremony at Barkatullah University, Madhya Pradesh’s Higher Education Minister, Inder Singh Parmar, made the assertion that America was discovered by “our Indian ancestors” rather than by Christopher Columbus, as commonly taught. He also criticized the historical narrative that credits Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama with the discovery of India, suggesting that students have been taught “incorrect history.”
In his speech, Parmar remarked, “Columbus discovered America, but Indian students had no connection to this event. If students were to be taught about it, they should have also been informed about how, in the post-Columbus era, the native people were tortured and how tribal societies were destroyed—societies that were worshippers of nature and the Sun.”
He further elaborated, “Students should have been taught about the atrocities, the forced conversions, and the destruction of native cultures, but unfortunately, the correct facts were never presented.”
Parmar expressed frustration that Indian students are still taught that Columbus discovered America, when in fact, he claimed, “Our ancestors from India” were responsible for discovering the continent.
He added, “If history were to be properly written, it should include the fact that India’s great hero Vasuloon traveled to America in the eighth century and built many temples in Santiago. These facts are still preserved in a museum and a library there.”
Minister Parmar emphasized the importance of teaching students the true history, asserting that it was “our Indian ancestors” who first discovered America, and not Christopher Columbus.
“When our ancestors arrived there, they engaged with and contributed to the local culture, particularly the Mayan civilization. This reflects India’s philosophy of cooperation and cultural integration, a concept that should have been taught to students,” he stated.
Parmar also addressed the commonly taught notion that Vasco da Gama discovered India, stating that this narrative overlooks the role of Indian traders.
“Historians could have corrected the record by studying Vasco da Gama’s autobiography,” the minister said. He explained that during a stop at the Zanzibar port in Africa, Vasco da Gama expressed his desire to visit Bharat (India) to Chandan, a Gujarati trader, through an interpreter. It was Chandan who guided Vasco da Gama’s ship to India.
Parmar added that Vasco da Gama himself acknowledged in his writings that Chandan’s ship was much larger than his own, yet history continues to teach that the Portuguese explorer discovered India, which, he argued, is inaccurate.
