National Mathematics Day 2022: History, significance and facts about stalwart Srinivasa Ramanujan

Today, India is celebrating National Mathematics Day to honour the life and achievement of ace mathematician Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan. It marks the 145th birth anniversary of Ramanujan who was born on 22 December 1887. The annual celebration of National Mathematics day means to commemorate Ramanujan’s immense contribution to the field of number theory and numerical analysis.

Ramanujan made a major contribution to mathematics. He demonstrated expertise in continued fractions, infinite series, and number theories. He grasped the fundamental characteristics of the Jacobi Theta Functions while also generalising their form. Following the conclusion of his successful research, the generalised Jacobi Theta Function was given the term ‘Ramanujan Theta Function’. Owing to his inherent mathematical brilliance, he was also regarded as the Mathematics Wizard.

History of National Mathematics Day:

In 2012, the country’s then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, during his visit to Madras University, designated 22 December as the annual celebration of National Mathematics Day. The aim indeed was to recognise Ramanujan’s mastery of the subject as well as to spread awareness among general people regarding the role of basic maths in daily life.

Here are some notable facts about Srinivasa Ramanujan:

Born in Erode, Tamil Nadu, Ramanujan developed a special bonding with maths at a very tender age. He turned out to be a genius in trigonometry at the age of 12 and earned a scholarship at the Government Arts College in Kumbakonam. However, he lost the privilege later, due to his lack of effort in other subjects.
Ramanujan’s expertise in mathematics got recognition when he took the job of a clerk at the Madras Port Trust in 1912. With the assistance of Ramaswamy Iyer, GH Hardy, a professor at Trinity College, London’s Cambridge University, became acquainted with Ramanujan’s work. He responded to Ramanujan in a letter and invited him to visit London. Ramanujan received his bachelor’s degree in science (BSc) in 1916.
In 1918, Ramanujan became the first Indian native to be named a Fellow of Trinity College. He then returned back to India in 1919. A year later, he breathed his last at the age of 32 after suffering from Tuberculosis for a long time.
Robert Kanigel penned the biography of Ramanujan, “The Man Who Knew Infinity.” In the book, his journey in life and his rise to fame has been portrayed.
A biopic was also made under the same name in 2015 with actor Dev Patil playing the character of Ramanujan. The film provided insight into Ramanujan’s early years in India, his professional life in Britain, and his development into a great mathematician.

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