Kaṇāda was an ancient Indian natural scientist and philosopher known for founding the Vaisheshika school of Indian philosophy, which is considered the earliest Indian physics. He made pioneering contributions by developing an atomistic approach to both physics and philosophy.
In his Sanskrit text, Vaiśeṣika Sūtra, he proposed the concept of the paramanu, an indestructible and indivisible particle of matter that cannot be further divided. Kaṇāda used invariance arguments to deduce properties of these atoms and suggested that they could exist in two states: absolute rest and a state of motion. His work has had a profound impact on ancient Indian philosophical discussions and laid the groundwork for understanding the fundamental nature of matter and reality.