Ramanujan, the Maths Wizard
- 22 December is National Mathematics Day -

S Balakrishnan *

Ramanujan Stamp

I wonder if I have any moral right to write about Mathematics because, of all the subjects in the school, Maths was the one I dreaded and hated the most, especially algebra. But, alas, I was forced to take algebra & geometry as my elective subject during my 10th and the final year 11th standard (1971-72).

This was then called SSLC – Secondary School Leaving Certificate; the 10 + 2 system had not been introduced then. After SSLC, it was Pre-University Course (PUC) for one year in the college and then the 3-year degree course. The only other elective was Biology. A nauseating subject for a pure vegetarian (even egg was taboo). It was devil or deep sea, and I was forced to jump into the deep sea of Maths.

I was not greedy to expect more than the pass mark of 35 (I scraped through the 9th standard final exam with just 36 in Maths with a grace mark of 1 added to the pass mark of 35), but to my shock I scored 61 in the elective Algebra & Geometry and 76 in Mathematics in SSLC public exam. More than passing the school finals, I considered these two scores as the highest achievement of my entire schooling period.

I was even worried if 16 had been entered as 61 and I would be declared fail anytime this mistake was discovered. When I glance through the maths books of these days, I really thank god that I am a 50s kid; so tough and complicated that I wonder if this is really needed for all the students. Will not just basic mathematics do for those not going to pursue engineering or higher maths? My deep sympathies to the tortured students!

But my conscience is compelling me to write this Maths piece because the Indian Mathematics Genius of our times, Srinivasa Ramanujan, in whose memory December 22nd is celebrated as National Mathematics Day, is not only from Tamil Nadu but also hails from my own native district of Thanjavur. Well, there is one more silly reason – both our fathers have the same name of ‘Srinivasan’.

So I think I have a certain amount of moral right to write about him and his pet subject the Mathematics. The then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, declared 22 Dec. as National Mathematics Day on 26 Dec. 2011 while participating in the 125th Birth Anniversary of S. Ramanujan. International Day of Mathematics (IDM) is, however, observed on March 14, world-wide.

Ramanujan was born on Dec. 22 1887 in Erode in the then Mysore State (now in Tamil Nadu State), his family having shifted from Kumbakonam to Erode where his father worked as a clerk in a sari shop. Ramanujan mastered trigonometry at the age of 12. OMG! After schooling, he became eligible for a scholarship in Government Arts College in Kumbakonam Town.

He did study there but due to his dislike for non-mathematical subjects failed in the exams. Without the Fellow of Arts (degree), for which he attempted later in a Madras College also, he, however, continued his independent research in maths, leading an extremely poor life.

In 1911 Ramanujan published the first of his papers in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society. His genius slowly gained recognition and in 1913 he began a correspondence with the British mathematician Godfrey H. Hardy.

Kumbakonam College

Ramanujan’s well wishers had shown his mathematical works to Dewan Bahadur Ramachandra Rao (then Collector of Nellore, bordering Chennai, it is now in A.P.), to V. Ramasamy Iyer (founder of Indian Mathematical Society) and to R. Narayana Ayyar (Treasurer of the Society and a Senior Accountant of Madras Port Trust -MPT). Nellore Collector sanctioned monthly financial assistance to Ramanujan.

But Ramanujan felt uneasy receiving the money without doing any work. A few months later, he declined this financial assistance and searched for a job. His first job was as Clerk in Accountant General’s Office for Rs. 25 p.m. After a couple of months, he applied for a better position in MPT on a monthly salary of Rs.30.

Narayana Ayyar, Senior Accountant of MPT, was instrumental in Ramanujan getting this job and also in securing the lifelong support of Sir Francis Spring, the first Chairman of MPT. Ramanujan joined MPT‘s Accounts Department as a Clerk on March 1, 1912 and held it for 14 months. This period proved crucial in his life.

To cut short the story, Ramanujan was introduced to Prof. Hardy in London and the rest, as they say, is history. Ramanujan worked collaborating with Prof. Hardy and others in London, crossing the seas despite opposition from his Brahmin relatives. His papers were published in English and European journals, and On 6 December 1917, Ramanujan was elected to the London Mathematical Society.

On 2 May 1918, he was elected to the Royal Society of London, the second Indian to be included as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) after Ardaseer Cursetjee in 1841. At age 31, Ramanujan was one of the youngest Fellows in the Royal Society's history. He was elected "for his investigation in elliptic functions and the Theory of Numbers." On 13 October 1918, he was the first Indian to be elected a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.

While in London, Ramanujan had contracted tuberculosis in 1918 and convalesced for about a year; his condition having improved, he returned to India in 1919 but died on April 26, 1920 (aged just 33) in Kumbakonam as an unsung hero but recognized by mathematicians as a great genius.

Ramanujan’s various contributions in several mathematical domains, including mathematical analysis, infinite series, continued fractions, number theory, and game theory, have given him the recognition as one of history's greatest mathematicians. Other notable contributions by Ramanujan include hypergeometric series, the Riemann series, the elliptic integrals, the theory of divergent series, and the functional equations of the zeta function.

Don’t ask me what they are, because they are just beyond my comprehension. Surprisingly, he never received any formal mathematics training. Most of his mathematical discoveries were based only on intuition and were ultimately proven correct.

The text of Ramanujan’s application dated the 9th February 1912 for a job in Madras Port Trust, addressed to the Chief Accountant of Port Trust reads thus - Sir, I understand there is a clerkship vacant in your office and I beg to apply for the same. I have passed the Matriculation Examination and studied up to the F.A. but was prevented from pursuing my studies further owing to several untoward circumstances.

I have, however, been devoting all my time to Mathematics and developing the subject. I can say I am …. confident I can do justice to my work if I am appointed to the post. I therefore beg to request that you will be good enough to confer the appointment on me. I beg to remain, Sir, yours most obedient servant S. Ramanujan.

India’s contribution to mathematics is invaluable in more than two ways – what we call the Arabic numerals (1 to 10) originated in India. Also, the figure ‘0’ (zero) is also India’s most valuable contribution to the world of maths. I must be ashamed of my own maths achievements!