Central Idea

December 22, Ramanujan’s birthday, was declared National Mathematics Day in India by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2012, in recognition of his contributions to the field.

Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920)

Early life: Srinivasa Ramanujan, born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, Tamil Nadu, exhibited extraordinary mathematical abilities from a very young age.
Mathematical Mastery by 14: By age 14, Ramanujan had mastered advanced mathematics, excelling in exams and exploring complex topics.
Difficulties in Other Subjects: His singular focus on mathematics led to poor grades in other subjects, hindering his academic progress.
Scholarship Loss and Hardships: After losing a scholarship at Government College in Kumbakonam due to his academic struggles, Ramanujan faced financial difficulties and limited job opportunities.

Recognition in Madras: By 1910, Ramanujan had gained recognition in Madras’s mathematical circles for his independent work.
Clerical Job and Research: In 1912, he secured a clerical position at the Madras Port Trust, which afforded him time for mathematical research.
Collaboration with GH Hardy: In 1913, Ramanujan began a correspondence with British mathematician GH Hardy, leading to an invitation to Cambridge University.

Journey to Britain: Ramanujan arrived in Britain in 1914 and joined Trinity College, Cambridge.
Work with Hardy and Littlewood: Collaborating with Hardy and JE Littlewood, Ramanujan made significant contributions despite his lack of formal higher education.
Prestigious Honors: He was elected to the London Mathematical Society in 1917 and became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1918, one of the youngest Fellows in its history.

Declining Health: Ramanujan’s health worsened in the cold British climate, leading to a diagnosis of tuberculosis.
Final Years: He returned to India in 1919 and passed away on April 26, 1920, at the age of 32.

High Praise from Hardy: GH Hardy ranked Ramanujan’s natural mathematical talent alongside greats like Euler and Jacobi.
Bruce C Berndt’s Analysis: American mathematician Bruce C Berndt extensively studied Ramanujan’s notebooks, emphasizing the depth of his contributions.
Impact on Number Theory: Ramanujan’s work, particularly on the partition function, has had a lasting impact on number theory.
Broad Contributions: His expertise included areas like continued fractions, Riemann series, elliptic integrals, hypergeometric series, and the zeta function.
Legacy of Unpublished Works: Ramanujan left behind notebooks filled with unpublished results that continued to inspire mathematicians for decades.

A recent movie titled “The Man Who Knew Infinity” is based on the biography of-

(a) S. Ramanujan

(b) S. Chandrasekhar

(d) C. V. Raman