National Mathematics Day 2023: Who was Srinivasa Ramanujan?; celebrations in schools, colleges

NEW DELHI: National Mathematics Day is celebrated every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.

On December 26, 2011, former prime minister Manmohan Singh declared the day as National Mathematics Day at Madras University. He also announced that 2012 will be celebrated as the national mathematics year.

Ramanujan had no formal training in mathematics, still he made contributions to mathematical analysis, infinite series, continued fractions, and more.

The mathematician was born on December 22, 1887 in a Brahmin family in Tamil Nadu. He encountered formal mathematics in the year 1897 at the Town Higher Secondary School. Ramanujan received the K Ranganatha Rao award for mathematics when he graduated from the school.

Ramanujan became one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society and the first Indian to be elected a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. He worked as a Class 3 grade 4 accounting clerk at Madras Port Trust.

Srinivasa Ramanujan was awarded the Bachelor of Arts by Research degree in March 1916. Due to several health issues, he died at the age of 32.

National Mathematics Day 2023 celebrations, quotes

Schools and colleges across the country celebrate the day by organising various activities. As a part of the celebrations, the mathematics and astronomy department at the University of Lucknow is conducting lectures and cultural performances. The celebrations will begin at 11:30 am. The department of applied science and humanities at the university is also organising a quiz competition.

The Gujarat Council on Science and Technology under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is organising a week-long programme on mathematics for students across Gujarat from December 22 to December 28.

The Directorate of Education, Delhi is celebrating the day by organising short videos, song, and movies on Srinivasa Ramanujan.