500+ Words Essay on Ramanujan
Srinivasa Ramanujan Aiyangar, who is also known as Ramanujan, is one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. The genius mathematician made a significant contribution to several areas of mathematics though he had no formal training in pre-mathematics. His contributions to the theory of numbers, mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions are considered to be extraordinary. The Indian mathematician is also known for his ability to solve mathematical problems that were previously considered impossible to solve.
About Srinivasa Ramanujan
Srinivasa Ramanujan, who is often referred to as ‘The World’s Greatest Mathematician’, was born in Erode on 22nd December 1887. His parents were Kuppuswamy Srinivasa Iyengar and Komalatammal. As a young boy, Srinivasa Ramanujan did not like going to school, and his parents had to enlist a constable’s help to ensure he attended school. But by the age of 11, Ramanujan was a child prodigy who developed his own sophisticated theorems to master trigonometry.
By the age of 17, the young mathematical genius had received several awards and merit certificates. Upon graduating high school, S. Ramanujan was awarded a scholarship to study at Government Arts College, Kumbakonam. But since he was intent only on studying mathematics, he failed all other subjects. He later enrolled at Pachaiyappa’s College, Madras, where he failed all other subjects and passed only in mathematics. Ramanujan continued to pursue independent research in mathematics and was eventually included as a researcher at the University of Madras.
His work and intellect were recognized by British mathematicians too. He was elected to the London Mathematical Society in 1917, and in 1918, he was elected to the Royal Society of London. He was the second Indian to be elected to the Royal Society and one of the youngest fellows elected in the history of the society. In 1918, he became the first Indian to be elected to the Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Ramanujan was a deeply religious person who believed there was a link between mathematics and spirituality. He thought that zero represented absolute reality. He credited his mathematical genius and acumen to his family deity, Goddess Namagiri Thayar. He drew inspiration from her for his work and he claimed to have visions that gave him knowledge of complex mathematical content.
Ramanujan found theorems and formulae as the best manifestation of reality. He compiled around 4000 results, which included theorems, equations and identities in number theory, combinatorics and algebra. He focused on several areas, from hypergeometric and infinite series to highly composite numbers. However, the two central regions Ramanujan felt he had a relationship with are ‘number theory’ and ‘modular functions’. He wrote and published several papers of great mathematical significance with his mentor Professor Hardy during his stay at Cambridge University.
But the mathematical genius did not live a long life. Ramanujan fell sick in 1919, which compelled him to return to India from Cambridge. The genius mathematician died on 26th April 1920 after a brief illness at the young age of 32. His last letters to his mentor, English mathematician G. H. Hardy revealed that he continued working on mathematical ideas before his death. His work was so intricate that it opened up new directions for mathematical research.
Posthumous Awards and Recognition
Srinivasa Ramanujan’s mathematical genius, his work and his achievements were recognized posthumously. The Government of India 2011 declared his birthday National Mathematics Day to commemorate his valuable contribution. The former Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, proclaimed that 2012 would be celebrated as the National Mathematics Year.
Tamil Nadu, which is Ramanujan’s home state, recognizes his birthday (22nd December) as “State IT Day.” The Government of India also introduced several stamps picturing Ramanujan in 1962, 2011, 2012 and 2016. Several universities and institutions have introduced prizes and awards in his name to students making outstanding contributions to the field of mathematics.
In conclusion, Ramanujan has been compared to notable names, including some masters of mathematics like Euler and Jacobi. He has inspired a whole generation of mathematicians, and his legacy lives on. Ramanujan died at the young age of 37, leaving us a rich legacy of mathematical discoveries.
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