There are many Indian scientists who have brought about a revolutionary change across the world. Name 10 Indian scientists. Paste their pictures and write 2-3 lines
each on their contribution.
Answers
Answer:
Explanation:
Srinivasa Aiyangar Ramanujan (FRS) better known as Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan, one
of India’s greatest mathematical genius, was born at Erode in Tamil Nadu on 22 December,
1887. Later on, his parents shifted to Kumbakonam, 160 kilometres from Chennai.
Ramanujan studied at the Town Hall School in Kumbakonam, where he proved himself to
be an able all-rounder. However, his love of mathematics was unusual. Numbers seemed
to draw him by a strange magnetism. In school itself at the age of thirteen, he came across
a book called Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure Mathemetic by G. S. Carr.
Though outdated, this book introduced him to the world of mathematics. He started working
Scientists of Modern India
Notes
Indian Culture and Heritage Secondary Course 247
MODULE - VI
Science and
Technology and developing his own ideas in mathematics. He used to write his ideas and results and
make notes on his findings.
Three of his research note books are available to us. They are called Ramanujan’s Frayed
Notebooks. He could not complete his college education as he kept on developing his
ideas and started posing problems and solving them in the Journal of Indian Mathematical
Society. In 1911, he published in the same journal a brilliant research paper on Bernoulli
Numbers. This got him recognition and he became well known in Madras circles as a
mathematical genius.
Lack of formal education made it very difficult for him to make both ends meet. With great
difficulty he could get the job of a clerk at Madras Port Trust which proved fortunate for
him. Here he came in contact with many people who had training in mathematics. He
found a book ‘Orders of Infinity’ written by G. H. Hardy. He wrote a letter to him in
which he mentioned 120 theorems and formulae. Hardy was quick to recognise his genius
and he responded by arranging for him a passage to London. Despite his lack of required
qualification he was allowed to enroll at Trinity College from where he got his Bachelor of
Science degree in less than two years. He formed a wonderful team with Hardy and J.E.
Littlewood and made amazing contributions to the field of mathematics. He published
many papers in London. He was the second Indian to be elected Fellow of the Royal
Society of London and the first Indian to be elected Fellow of Trinity College.
Ramanujan had an intimate familiarity with numbers. In 1917, he fell seriously ill, but the
numbers remained his friend, though his body betrayed him. Unfortunately, his health became
worse and he returned to India in 1919, “With a scientific standing and reputation”. He
died in 1920. His mathematical genius is a proof that India indeed is the birthplace and
source of great mathematical ideas.