Every year on December 22, we mark National Mathematics Day to honor the remarkable Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan. The day holds special significance as it coincides with his birthday.
History and Significance:
The Indian government, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2012, declared December 22 as National Mathematics Day.
In the same year, it was also celebrated as the National Mathematics Year.
Srinivasa Ramanujan, born on December 22, 1887, in Tamil Nadu, made significant contributions to mathematics at a young age.
Despite facing poverty in his early life, Ramanujan excelled in trigonometry by the age of 12.
His work covered diverse areas such as Riemann series, hypergeometric series, elliptic integrals, continued fractions, and functional equations of the zeta function.
Ramanujan’s first paper was published in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society in 1911.
He earned a research-based B.A. degree from Cambridge University in 1916 but sadly passed away at the age of 32 in 1920, leaving behind around 4,000 original theorems.
Celebrations and Awareness:
National Mathematics Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of mathematics and honor Ramanujan’s contributions.
The day encourages students to go beyond textbooks, fostering critical thinking and logical reasoning.
Schools and colleges organize various competitions, Olympiads, and educational events to celebrate the occasion.
Mathematics, integral to our daily lives, has been enriched by the works of great Indian mathematicians like Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Mahavira, and Bhaskara II.
As we celebrate National Mathematics Day, let’s appreciate the beauty of numbers and the incredible legacy left by Srinivasa Ramanujan, inspiring generations to come.