Srinivasa Ramanujan: The Mathematical Marvel of the Century
* To preserve my brains I want food and this is now my first considerationā¦.
* I beg to introduce myself to you as a clerk in the Accounts Department of the Port Trust Office at Madrasā¦After leaving school, I have been employing the spare time at my disposal to work at Mathematicsā¦.
* Every positive integer must be of the form 6n + 1 or 6n ā 1.
Early Life and Education
The life of Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887ā1920) is a narrative of sheer inspiration, encapsulating the essence of genius, resilience, and the triumph of the human spirit against insurmountable odds. Born into poverty in Erode, India, Ramanujanās journey from obscurity to becoming one of the most significant mathematicians of all time is nothing short of extraordinary. His story is a testament to the adage that genius is 99 percent perspiration and one percent inspiration.
Ramanujanās early life was fraught with challenges. Despite his prodigious talent in mathematics, he failed his college exams twice because he couldnāt pass non-mathematical subjects. This setback, however, did not deter him. Much like Albert Einstein, who once failed a college entrance exam and later worked as a clerk in a patent office, Ramanujan found employment under the chief accountant at the Madras Port Trust. Here, he encountered a sympathetic manager who appreciated his mathematical prowess and allowed him to work on his mathematical problems even during office hours.
The Turning Point
The turning point in Ramanujanās life came when he immersed himself in a book by George S. Carr, which contained 6,165 theorems ā a handbook for students preparing for the Cambridge entrance examination. Ramanujan not only mastered these theorems but also began developing his own, which he meticulously documented and sent to prominent mathematicians of the era. Most dismissed his work, but one letter reached G.H. Hardy, a leading mathematician at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Collaboration with G.H. Hardy
Hardy was astonished by the depth and originality of Ramanujanās theorems. He remarked that such theorems āhad to be true, because if not, then no one would have the imagination to invent them.ā Hardyās recognition of Ramanujanās genius led to one of the most famous collaborations in mathematical history. Despite their starkly different backgrounds, Hardy and Ramanujan developed a profound mutual respect and admiration for each other.
This partnership yielded numerous groundbreaking results in mathematics. Ramanujanās work on partitions, mock theta functions, and continued fractions laid the foundation for many modern mathematical theories. Even today, his ālost notebookā continues to be a source of new mathematical discoveries.
Resilience in Adversity
Ramanujanās story is not just about his mathematical genius. It is also about his extraordinary resilience. Despite the hardships he faced in England ā such as coping with a harsh climate, malnutrition, and tuberculosis ā he continued to produce pioneering work. One famous anecdote illustrates his brilliance: when Hardy visited Ramanujan in the hospital and mentioned that his taxi had the number 1729, Ramanujan immediately identified it as the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways:1729 = 1Ā³ + 12Ā³ = 9Ā³ + 10Ā³.
Legacy and Influence
Ramanujanās life and contributions have been immortalized in literature and film. The Hollywood movie āThe Man Who Knew Infinity,ā based on Robert Kanigelās biography, brought Ramanujanās story to a global audience. The film, starring Dev Patel as Ramanujan and Jeremy Irons as Hardy, captures the essence of his journey and the profound impact he had on mathematics.
One of the filmās key advisors, mathematician Ken Ono, shares a personal connection to Ramanujanās legacy. Onoās life was transformed by a letter from Ramanujanās widow, Janaki Ammal, to his father. Struggling with his own identity and pressures as an immigrant in America, Ono found solace and inspiration in Ramanujanās life and work. This encounter rekindled his passion for mathematics and led him to write āMy Search for Ramanujan,ā a book that details his own journey and connection to the great mathematician.
Conclusion
Ramanujanās influence extends beyond mathematics. His story is a beacon of hope and inspiration, demonstrating that true talent can flourish against all odds. His life reminds us that brilliance can emerge from the most unlikely places, and that perseverance, curiosity, and passion are the hallmarks of true genius.
Ramanujan passed away at the young age of 32, but his legacy endures. His last letter to Hardy, written from his deathbed, outlined a new theory that has since spawned extensive research. His life, a blend of tragedy and triumph, continues to inspire countless individuals across the world.
As we reflect on Ramanujanās life, we are reminded of the words of another great thinker, Isaac Newton, who said, āIf I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.ā Ramanujan, the self-taught mathematical giant from a small village in India, remains one of those towering figures upon whose shoulders future generations will continue to stand and see further.
Bibliography
1. Kanigel, Robert ā The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan. Washington Square Press, 1992.
2. Ono, Ken, and Amir D. Aczel ā My Search for Ramanujan: How I Learned to Count. Springer, 2016.
3. Carr, George Shoobridge- A Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure and Applied Mathematics. Hodgson, 1886.
4. Hardy, G.H ā A Mathematicianās Apology. Cambridge University Press, 1940.
5. The Man Who Knew Infinity. Directed by Matt Brown, IFC Films, 2015.
