National Mathematics Day
Mathematics Day – who was Srinivasa Ramanujan
In celebration of Maths Day 2022, it is important to know more about this man following the day to which he is dedicated. Srinivasa Ramanujan was born into a Tamil Brahmin family in 1887 at Erode in Tamil Nadu.
Srinivasa Ramanujan, (December 22, 1887, Erode, India – April 26, 1920, Kumbakonam), Indian mathematician whose contributions to number theory included the pioneering discovery of the identity of partition functions.
At the age of 15 he acquired a copy of George Shoobridge Carr’s Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics, 2 vols. (1880–86). This collection of thousands of theories, many of which show only a brief evidence of nothing new than 1860, awakened his wisdom. After reviewing the results in Carr’s paper, Ramanujan continued, developing his own ideas and concepts. In 1903 he obtained a scholarship from the University of Madras but lost it the following year because he neglected all other studies in pursuit of mathematics. Ramanujan continued his work, unemployed and living in the most impoverished conditions. After her marriage in 1909, she began looking for a permanent job which resulted in an interview with a government official, Ramachandra Rao. Impressed by Ramanujan’s mathematical prowess, Rao supported his research for some time, but Ramanujan, not wanting to live by charity, got a chair at the Madras Port Trust.
Although he had no formal training in mathematics, his contribution provided a deep understanding to solve complex mathematical problems using new concepts and ideas. Ramanujan is popularly known as “the man who knew infinity”.
He joined Trinity College and was elected a member of the London Mathematical Society. In 1918, he was elected a member of the Royal Society. Ramanujan was the first Indian to be named one of the fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge. And of course, in his memory and honor, December 22 is called National Math Day.
History of National Mathematics day
On December 26, 2011, former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh declared December 22 National Mathematics Day, while attending the 125th anniversary of the birth of Ramanujan at Madras University, his teacher. The first day was held in 2012. The then government of India also issued a postage stamp with Ramanujan’s image in 2012, to mark National Mathematics Day.
“As a tribute to the great mathematician, our government has decided to declare [Ramanujan’s] birthday, December 22, as National Mathematics Day and the entire year 2012 as National Mathematics. India has a long and glorious tradition of mathematics which we must encourage and nurture.
I hope that these measures will help in promoting the improvement of mathematics education in our country, apart from making our people aware of Ramanujan’s work,” said Dr. Manmohan Singh. Ramanujan died when he was only 32, due to complications from various diseases while in London. But during this short life,
he developed new mathematical systems, such as infinite series, number systems, continuous fractions, and game theory; all had no formal training in mathematics. Ramanujan was inducted into the Royal Society of London and became the first Indian to become a fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. More than nine decades after his death, scientists have discovered that one of Ramanujan’s formulas can explain the properties of black holes.
Ramanujan went to Britain in 1914, where Hardy invited him to Trinity College, Cambridge. By 1917 Ramanujan was well on his way, having been elected a Fellow of the London Mathematical Society, and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1918 – one of the youngest to receive such a prestigious position. .
Ramanujan returned to India in 1919 because he could not understand the food in Britain. His health continued to deteriorate and he died in 1920 at the age of 32. However, his achievements in mathematics are still highly respected around the world. Ramanujan left a three-page notebook with unpublished results, which mathematicians continued to work on for years. So that in 2012, the former Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh announced that December 22 – the day Ramanujan was born – National Mathematics Day will be celebrated across the country.
\National Math Day: Theme
National Mathematics Day 2022 has no theme. The purpose of the day is to make people aware of the value of mathematics and the recent developments and advancements in the field. To honor this day, many colleges and universities organize competitions, olympiads and other educational events.
Significance
The event is held in honor of one of the greatest mathematicians the world has ever seen, Sir Srinivasa Ramanujan
To emphasize the importance of continuing the legacy of mathematicians like Ramanujan, Aryabhata and Brahmagupta, to maintain and develop the noble tradition of mathematics in the country, this day is celebrated.
On this day, many colleges, schools and universities conduct competitions and studies to guide students to a better future in the field of mathematics.
