National Mathematics Day: Remembering The Great legendary Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan

National Mathematics Day is observed on 22 December every year to mark the birth anniversary of legendary Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan and his contributions in the field of mathematics. The 125th birth anniversary of the great mathematician Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan declared as National Mathematics Day. The day emphasizes the necessity to carry out the legacy of the world-famous mathematicians forward. The Mathematics day is celebrated to promote and cultivate the magnificent tradition of Indian Mathematics.

Srinivasa Ramanujan, a self-taught mathematician, was born on 22nd of December in 1887 in Erode, present-day Tamil Nadu into a Tamil Brahmin family. He is one of the greatest Indian mathematicians who gave an entirely new meaning to mathematics. He compiled around 4000 mathematical results and equations including mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series and fractions thereby opening new vistas of mathematical research. His father worked as a clerk in a sari shop and he hailed from Thanjavur District. His mother was Komalatammal, a singer at a local temple who earned a little amount of money each month by singing.

S. Ramanujan initially solved the regular mathematics at the age of 10 without taking any formal training. He read mathematics voraciously and developed his tricks and understanding. When he was 12 years old, he conquered the world of Trigonometry by discovering his theorems and equations. Although he failed in most of the subjects, he received several academic awards and merits in mathematics when he was in school. His memory for mathematical formulas and constants seems to be boundless. Ramanujan was obsessed with mathematics, but he lost his scholarship of studying at Government Arts College in the town of Kumbakonam as he failed his other non – mathematical subjects. His main source of inspiration and expertise was – 'Synopsis of elementary results in pure mathematics' by G.S. Carr.

He continued his work without employment and living in the poorest circumstances. In 1909, he got married to S. Janaki Ammal. In 1911, he published his work in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society. In 1913, Ramanujan came in contact with the great mathematician G.H. Hardy. Then in 1914, he ultimately moved to England, where Hardy collaborated with him in some research. After spending five years in Cambridge, he returned to India in 1919. At the age of 32 in 1920 he died due to hepatic amoebiasis, which was caused by liver parasites that were common in Madras.

In 2015, Matthew Brown directed a film based on the life of S. Ramanujan, named, "The man who knew infinity" starring Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons. The former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, inaugurated the center of Higher Mathematics named after Ramanujan at the Algappa University.

In India, all states celebrate the National Mathematics Day in many different ways. Several schools, colleges, and Universities organize various Quizzes and Competitions, intending to boost the interest of students in the field of mathematics, creating a platform for research and development to continue the legacy of the development that was started by the founding fathers of Mathematics. Everyone must recognize the contributions made by the legendary Mathematicians such as Brahmagupta, Aryabhatta, and Srinivasa Ramanujan, which not only shaped the Indian Mathematics but also gained tremendous popularity across the World. By celebrating the National Mathematics Day, we would pay tribute to the legend genius of Mathematics to sustain the mathematical culture of India.

History of the Day

The former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, paid tribute to Srinivasa Ramanujan at a function organized on the occasion of the 125th birth anniversary of the great mathematician Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan in Chennai. National Mathematics Day celebrated across the country for the first time.

Importance of the Day

To raise awareness among people about the importance of mathematics for the development of humanity. The training provided to the mathematics teachers and students through camps. The main is to highlight the development, production, and dissemination of teaching-learning materials (TLM) for Mathematics and research in related areas.