Vigyananand was addressing a summit in Bengaluru by the World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF), when he made the comment that Times of India reported. It created a flurry of outrage on social media sites over the weekend. Vigyananand had more to say about the issue.
"I am telling you the 'industry' word has come from us - Indus. We were very industrialized, (and) that is why they used the word," Vigyananand said. He said the British coined the term when they saw how industrialized India was before the plunder by its invaders.
Now, the actual word possibly has its etymology in old French 'industrie', Latin 'industria' and from early Latin 'indostruus', but Twitter users have jokingly carried forward the torch that Vigyananand has lit, 'discovering' Indian roots in a host of everyday English words.
The term "Indus' is an Anglicized version of Sindhu. The government should replace the word Industry with Sindhustry https://t.co/vvrRxdHCA3
— Scotchy (@scotchism) May 22, 2016
The word Industry is derived from Indus says VHP Joint Secy. Joint is just the right appellation for the gentleman in question.
— Ajith (@ajith27) May 22, 2016
The baba's wrong. "Industry" comes from who can work in factories at low wages. An ideal woman is "Hindu Stri" https://t.co/ZeyB4e64aw
— Salil Tripathi (@saliltripathi) May 22, 2016
Industry came from Indus
— Ritzz (@ritikajain01) May 23, 2016
sambit patra came from cleopatra pic.twitter.com/d8cFCAwcJx
Says my friend Sajan... "and 'manufacturing' comes from Manu!" https://t.co/5mkOKQPFD0
— Cecil Pinto (@cecilpinto) May 23, 2016
According to VHP, 'Industry' came from Indus, 'Infantry' from some infant,
— Veejay Sai (@veejaysai) May 23, 2016
'Symmetry' from Sim, 'Geometry' from some jaw.@sanjayuvacha
Yes. I'm sure you invented Brazilian coffee too sir! https://t.co/qQWSUwyC8N
— Mini Mathur (@minimathur) May 22, 2016
Drones from Dronacharya, anyone?