A potential contender for the title of India's first scientist is Rishi Kanada, who lived as early as the sixth century B.C. Kanada was an early proponent of atomism, perhaps even before Greek philosophers such as Democritus did, as he postulated that matter was composed of the atom or anu.Rishi Kanada, who lived as early as the sixth century B.C., is one potential contender to be considered India's first scientist. Kanada was an early proponent of atomism, perhaps even before Greek philosophers such as Democritus did, as he postulated that matter was composed of the atom or anu.