Srinivasa Ramanujan: The man who knew infinity
Srinivasa Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician whose extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions have made him one of the most celebrated mathematicians in history. Born in the small town of Erode in Tamil Nadu, Ramanujan grew up in Kumbakonam, where his father worked as a clerk and his mother managed their household and sang at temples.
From an early age, Ramanujan exhibited an exceptional aptitude for mathematics. By the age of 11, he had mastered advanced trigonometry and was solving complex problems without formal training. His voracious appetite for knowledge led him to discover George Shoobridge Carr's Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics, a compendium of over 6,000 mathematical theorems. This book ignited his passion for mathematics and laid the foundation for his self-taught journey into advanced topics.
Despite his brilliance, Ramanujan struggled in formal education, as his obsession with mathematics led him to neglect other subjects. He failed his college examinations and had to leave school, but his determination never wavered. He continued to develop ground-breaking theories independently, filling notebooks with results that would later astonish the mathematical community.
In 1911, Ramanujan published his first paper in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society. His work caught the attention of mathematicians in India, but his genius truly came to light when he began corresponding with GH Hardy, a renowned mathematician at the University of Cambridge. In 1913, Ramanujan sent Hardy a letter filled with mathematical theorems and results, many of which were entirely novel and highly advanced. Hardy was initially sceptical but soon realised he was dealing with a genius of the highest order.
With Hardy's support, Ramanujan travelled to Cambridge in 1914, where he worked with Hardy and other mathematicians, refining his ideas and contributing to his discoveries. Despite lacking formal training in pure mathematics, Ramanujan's intuition and originality were unparalleled. His work on partition functions, modular forms and infinite series was innovative and many of his formulas remain central to modern mathematics.
However, Ramanujan’s time in England was fraught with challenges. The harsh climate, cultural differences and the strain of rigorous academic work took a toll on his health. He also faced loneliness and homesickness, exacerbated by his strict vegetarian diet during World War I food shortages. In 1919, ailing and weakened, Ramanujan returned to India.
He passed away on April 26, 1920 at the age of 32, leaving behind a wealth of unpublished work. His notebooks, now known as the "Ramanujan Notebooks" ,continue to be studied and have led to numerous discoveries even decades after his death.
Ramanujan’s legacy is immortalised in the field of mathematics, where his name is associated with elegance, originality and profound insight. In 2011, his birthday, December 22, was declared National Mathematics Day in India, a fitting tribute to a man whose life was a testament to the power of perseverance and genius.
