We need Maths in our day to day life. Every situation we live in requires single mathematical function at least. I would like to initiate a discussion on “Maths” because today (22nd Dec) is celebrated as “National Mathematics Day” in India after one of the greatest Indian Mathematician – Sir Srinivas Ramanujan. Today is the birthday of that legend who took birth in Tamilian Brahmin family and later was recognized as “Genius Mathematician” by Sir G.H.Hardy (An English Mathematician)! Today, when we are in a belief that we are living in the modern world and have answers to so many questions, we are more advanced in terms of technical, mathematical and scientific world, I am very much surprised and at a time shocked to know that some of the theories are still unresolved, suggested by Sir Ramanujan! His theory of “Theta Valuation” later resulted, after almost around 90 years, as an assistance in resolving the secrets of the Black Hole (As reported in a leading news paper)!
Anyone can have a simple thought as to what kind of luxury and education this boy would have had! What kind of IQ level would he be having? How deep care would have been taken from his parents and teachers for him to take out this mathematician giant? Surprisingly, nothing like this happened! Srinivas Ramanujan was not able to clear the exams of other subjects and lost his scholarship too. Srinivas Ramanujan didn’t get that “Extra-ordinary” care and luxury for education which we believe he would have got. Ramanujan’s love for maths was not a part of the care from his parents or teachers. It was natural. The boy started solving complex number theories at the age of 12 which later progressed and lasted until his last breath. Even though having various and difficult issues in his personal life, he never quitted learning Maths and developed the communication with the well known International mathematicians in that time, where it was not possible to have a reply of your query within a couple of days! It is really a question of imagination for us that how that person could have survived? Kudos to his patience and enthusiasm for learning and knowing new dimensions of Maths.
And I am only happy and proud that I belong to the land where he lived. Sir Ramanujan is the Latest Unmatched Mathematician given to the world by India. But in the past, there were people who actually landed the foundations of Modern Mathematics! It is just a pleasure sharing these secrets to the world! Secret is because many people in and outside India are don’t know this!
1) VarahMihir – In the ancient India there was a famous king known as “Vikramaditya” and in his parliament there were nine genius personalities which were known as “Nine Jewels” and Sir VarahMihir was one of them. He was a genius Mathematician and an Astronomer of that time and in the areas of Maths and Astronomy, he gave some of the following significant contributions to the world.
– Invented that shifting of equinox is around 50.32 seconds.
– Improved “Sin” tables of Aryabhatta (Another Mathematician from Ancient India)
* For more information, please visit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Var%C4%81hamihira
2) Aryabhatta – Born between 476 to 550 in India, this great person was a great Mathematician and Astronomer. Some of his significant contributions to the world are following.
– Algebraic proportion of Zero and negative numbers
– First who discovered theory which was later known as “Pascal’s theory”.
– Invented first Decimal place value system
– First Satellite of India was named after his honor
* For more information, please visit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aryabhata
3) Brahmagupta – Born in India between 597 to 668 CE, this great person was a great Mathematician and Astronomer. Some of his significant contributions to the world are following.
– Inventor of Zero as a number
– Rules to compute with Zero
– Four operations of Algebra (Addition/ Subtraction/ Multiplication and Division) were first appeared in the book “Brahmsputa Sidhdhanta” written by Brahmagupta
– Gave an equation of finding sum of squares and cubes of N numbers first time to the world
– Gave significant contributions in Pythagorean triples and Geography.
* For more information, please visit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmagupta
4) Bhaskaracharya I – Born in India between (c.600 – c.680), this great person was a Mathematician and Astronomer. Some of his significant contributions to the world are following.
– Invented a system including numbers in Hindu Decimal System
– Invented rationale approximation of Sine
* For more information, please visit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C4%81skara_I
4) Bhaskaracharya II – Born in India between (c.1114 – c.1185), this great person was a head of astronomical observatory at Ujjain (A city of India). He was famous Mathematician and Astronomer. Some of his significant contributions to the world are in inventing some useful theorems of Calculus, Arithmetic, Algebra, Mathematics of Planetary systems and Spheres.
* For more information, please visit – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bh%C4%81skara_II
It is not possible to write everything about them here, in this small post. I would suggest all of you my curious readers to follow the given links.
Words are not enough to describe all accomplishments of Sir Ramanujan too, when lots of books have been published on his life and work. We are not here to know in much much details of Sir Ramanujan. For more information on Sir Ramanujan, interested readers may follow;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramanujan
I am not writing this to appraise Sir Ramanujan’s and any other Indian mathematician’s accomplishments only. My purpose of writing this article on Sir Ramanujan’s birthday are, some questions. Sir Srinivas Ramanujan is an International personality and such is the big fame he has that, various young mathematicians are honored from developing countries for their valued contribution in Maths by “International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)” in cooperation with “International Mathematical Union” after his name for his contributions in modern mathematics.
The questions left for us is that why such personalities we have not given birth to, after 125 years? Why that “Ready to Invent – IQ level” is still unmatched in Maths? Why India is lacking such legends after these many years, when Sir Albert Einstein once said, “We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.”
Not in India, everywhere around the world, we need to improve our Education system thoroughly so that all of us can start contributing to the world. All of us has ability to share something with the world for which, for centuries, we can be remembered! But first, let us do some innovations in Education system and give our children a better tomorrow where everyone can not only share, but invent ideas!
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