I just learnt through your post that the numbers we use everyday are called Arabic numberals in the western world. Having grown up in a culture that takes collective pride in anything that originated from the land, we've always been taught that the modern day numerals were invented in India.

Especially the zero. The zero was a game changer. Without the zero, our numerical system is limited. Our schools drilled into our heads a sense of (undeserved) pride that it was our ancestors who were responsible for this (contended by some, accepted by others). Displaced pride apart, it's true that the zero made it possible for us to understand basic mathematic calculations better. Algebra, calculus, or the works of Fibonacci. Without the zero, we wouldn't have a binary code. So if I had to pick a champion number amongst the numericals - it would be zero.