Who is Srinivasa Ramanujan?
Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920) is considered one of the greatest mathematicians of the world. His story is not just about numbers and mathematical formulas, but also about his passion, hard work and extraordinary talent. Although he had no formal education in mathematics, he did important work that is still very useful for modern mathematics.
Srinivasa Ramanujan Life and Background
Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on 22 December 1887 in Erode, a small town in Tamil Nadu. His family was of modest economic status. His father Srinivasa Iyengar worked as a clerk in a saree shop and his mother Komalatmal was a housewife who also used to sing devotional songs in a temple.
Ramanujan had a deep interest in mathematics since childhood. His understanding and ability were far beyond his age and class level. At the age of just 11, he had learned advanced trigonometry and started creating new theorems of mathematics on his own. When two college students came to stay at his house, Ramanujan learned the entire mathematics from them and soon surpassed them.
His passion for mathematics led him to local libraries. At the age of 16, he came across G.S. Carr’s book A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics, which contained more than 5000 theorems without any proof. Ramanujan not only understood them, but also prepared their proofs himself and discovered new mathematical formulas. This book became a major reason for the beginning of his mathematical development and many of his formulas later surprised the great mathematicians of the world.
Even his school teachers were stunned to see his talent. However, Ramanujan was weak in other subjects because he used to focus all his attention only on mathematics. Due to this, he also failed in academic examinations many times. But during this period, he had developed such a deep understanding by studying on his own, which later became the foundation of his success.
Ramanujan’s notebooks, in which he had recorded his hundreds of mathematical discoveries, are still famous. There were many such formulas and conjectures in them, which were later proved through modern technology and research. These notebooks are still considered a very valuable heritage for the world of mathematics.
Srinivasa Ramanujan Education and Struggles
Srinivasa Ramanujan’s studies were not easy. He was very good at mathematics, but he had a lot of trouble in other subjects. Due to this, he could not pass the college examinations and could not even get a degree. Due to lack of a degree, he could not get a good job, but he did not give up and kept working on mathematics alone.
In 1913, Ramanujan sent a long letter to the famous mathematician G.H. Hardy of Cambridge University, England. In this letter, he had written more than 100 mathematical theorems, many of which were absolutely new and unique. Hardy immediately understood Ramanujan’s talent and invited him to come to Cambridge. With the help of Indian supporters, Ramanujan left for England in 1914.
Srinivasa Ramanujan Life in Cambridge and Major Contributions
At Cambridge, Ramanujan worked closely with G.H. Hardy and collaborated with many other mathematicians. During his five years in England, he wrote many important research papers. Due to his hard work and contribution, he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1918, which is considered a very high honor in the scientific and academic field.
Srinivasa Ramanujan Contribution to Mathematics:
- Number theory: Ramanujan did great work in this area of mathematics, which understands the behavior of numbers. He studied partitions (dividing a number into parts), prime numbers (such as 2, 3, 5) and special numbers with a lot of multiples.
- Infinite series: He discovered many infinite calculations (series) that reach a conclusion very quickly. This made it easier to calculate constants like π (pi) accurately.
- Continued fractions: Ramanujan also worked on a technique called “continued fractions”, which was very advanced for the time. It is still used in difficult problems of mathematics today.
- Mock theta functions: These are some mysterious mathematical formulas that Ramanujan discovered. Now they are used in many research works of modern mathematics and physics.
- Ramanujan is remembered all over the world for these discoveries. His work remains important today and is still studied by mathematics students and researchers.
Srinivasa Ramanujan Personal Life
Who was Ramanujan’s wife? Srinivasa Ramanujan was married to Janakiammal when he was just 22 years old. Their marriage was traditionally arranged, and although they were separated for many years due to his stay in England, she supported him throughout.
Ramanujan Death and Legacy
In 1919, Srinivasa Ramanujan returned to India due to ill health. His health deteriorated due to the cold climate of England and the limitations of food there. Even after returning to India, his condition did not improve much and he died on 26 April 1920 at the age of just 32.
Although he lived for a very short time, the importance of the work he did remains even today. His early death was a great loss for mathematicians all over the world. Nevertheless, he left behind about 4,000 mathematical formulas, equations and discoveries, which mathematicians are still trying to understand and advance.
Interesting Facts About Srinivasa Ramanujan
- Self-taught genius: Ramanujan had very little formal education, yet he is considered one of the most talented mathematicians in the world.
- Spiritual beliefs: He believed that his understanding of mathematics came to him as a kind of divine inspiration from his kuldevi Namagiri.
- Ramanujan’s notebooks: The mathematical discoveries he wrote in his notebooks are still very important and studied by researchers today.
- Honors and recognition: An international journal named “The Ramanujan Journal” publishes modern mathematical research inspired by his discoveries.
- Film and pop culture: In 2015, the Hollywood film The Man Who Knew Infinity was made based on his life, bringing his story to the whole world.
- National Mathematics Day: Every year on December 22, his birthday, National Mathematics Day is celebrated in India to remember his contributions to the field of mathematics.
Biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan
The story of Srinivasa Ramanujan’s life is not just about his mathematical genius, but also about his self-confidence, strong values and deep curiosity. He started life in very humble circumstances and faced many hardships, but he kept moving forward and left his mark on the world.
His journey – from a small Indian town to the world-renowned Cambridge University – is not only extraordinary, but also extremely inspiring.
What did Srinivasa Ramanujan Discover?
- Partition function: It tells how many ways a number can be divided into parts.
- Ramanujan prime: These are a special type of prime numbers, which were discovered by Ramanujan.
- Mock theta function: These are some special types of mathematical formulas, which are now being used in both physics and mathematics.
- Ramanujan’s master theorem: This is a complex but very useful mathematical rule, which was discovered by Ramanujan.
- Modular equations and approximation: These are used in many mathematical calculations and modern theories.
All these discoveries have given direction to modern mathematics, especially number theory, and even today their effect can be seen in many areas of mathematics and physics.
Conclusion
Srinivasa Ramanujan was not just a mathematician – he was a unique and amazing force in the world of mathematics. He faced many difficulties, but his journey still shows what a person can achieve if he is determined. Even today people learn from his work, and students around the world are inspired by his passion.
If you want to know the life story of Ramanujan, his formulas, discoveries and their impact, this can be a great starting point. His name is still considered a symbol of genius, simplicity and dedication.