Mathematics Day

Mathematics Day is celebrated in India in honor of the greatest genius and mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The date was not chosen by chance: it was on December 22, 1920 that the man was born. His life was short but bright – find out a little more about it!

History

Srinivasa was born in a village located 400 km from the modern city of Chennai. There was not much wealth in his family, his father and mother belonged to the Brahmin caste – that was the name of teachers and priests. The boy showed a sharp mind from childhood and at the age of 7 he received a grant to enter the Kumbakonam school. He impressed teachers with his phenomenal ability to memorize numbers. At the age of 17 he graduated from high school and was recognized as a child prodigy.

In Mandras, he studied at several colleges, independently studying mathematics and doing interesting research along the way. At 21, Srinivasa got married and found work as an accountant in a port. This did not become an ideal occupation: he dreamed of earning a lot of money to support his family and devote all his time to his favorite subject. On the recommendation of friends, he sent letters to various mathematicians, but only the Englishman Godfrey Harold Hardy answered.

In 1913, Ramanujan left for England – Godfrey knocked out a grant for him to study at Cambridge. The genius studied for 5 years, wrote 21 articles and founded 4000 theorems. In 1917 he was diagnosed with the first signs of tuberculosis. The man was intensively treated, but in 1920 he died. The national day is dedicated to his genius and the great work done in such a short time.

Interesting facts

Noteworthy:

• the mother did not want to let her son go to England, but she dreamed of a goddess who said that she should not interfere, because Srinivasa would become a respected person;
• Godfrey admitted that he learned much more from the ward than he himself gave him;
• the genius did not consume animal products.

How to celebrate

At Mathematics Day, learn more about the great mathematician: watch documentaries, get acquainted with the works. Tell about his life on social networks so that others honor the man on this day. Even if you don’t like discipline, find something exciting in it!

When is Mathematics Day celebrated in 2022?

Mathematics Day is observed on December 22 each year.

Observations