Mathematics Day

National Mathematics Day in India honors the genius Srinivasa Ramanujan, whose brief life left an indelible mark on number theory. Celebrated each December 22, the date commemorates his birth on December 22, 1887.

History

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in a small village about 400 km from present-day Chennai. His parents, both from the Brahmin caste of priests and scholars, were not wealthy. By age seven, Ramanujan had earned a scholarship to the Government High School in Kumbakonam, where he astonished his teachers with a prodigious memory for numbers. He graduated at seventeen and quickly gained a reputation as a mathematical prodigy.

In Madras (now Chennai), Ramanujan attended several colleges but devoted most of his time to independent research. At twenty-one, he married and worked as an accounts clerk at a shipping firm—hardly his ideal job, as he hoped to support his family while pursuing mathematics. Encouraged by friends, he wrote to prominent mathematicians around the world; only G. H. Hardy of Cambridge responded.

In 1914, Ramanujan traveled to England on Hardy’s invitation. Over five years at Cambridge, he published twenty-one papers and discovered nearly 3 900 new results, many in number theory and infinite series. In 1917, he showed the first symptoms of tuberculosis and returned to India in 1919. He died on April 26, 1920. National Mathematics Day celebrates his extraordinary achievements and lasting legacy.

Interesting Facts

• Ramanujan’s mother reportedly had a dream of a goddess who instructed her to let her son follow his mathematical calling.
• Hardy acknowledged learning more from Ramanujan than he taught him.
• Ramanujan was a strict vegetarian.

How to Take Part

Mark Mathematics Day by exploring Ramanujan’s life and work. Watch documentaries, read his notebooks, or try problems inspired by his theorems. Share videos or articles on social media to introduce others to his remarkable story—and perhaps solve a few equations of your own!

When is Mathematics Day in 2025?

Mathematics Day is observed on December 22 each year.

Observations