I loved reading Robert Kanigel's biography - "The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan." Recommended for people who want to know more about the genius mathematician.
Seconded, a great read.
Srinivasa Ramanujan
11–20 of 51 posts
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#12[...]Hardy contacted the Indian Office to plan for Ramanujan's trip to Cambridge. Secretary Arthur Davies of the Advisory Committee for Indian Students met with Ramanujan to discuss the overseas trip. In accordance with his Brahmin upbringing, Ramanujan refused to leave his country to "go to a foreign land." So much for being a Math genius. Disclaimer: I am an Indian.
Being a Genius in Mathematics does not necessarily mean being a genius in everything else (including bringing an exciting future forward in time). Galois, another mathematical genius from France (1800s), died at twenty because he fought a duel and got killed. It may be tempting to call him 'stupid'. He may be somewhat irrational in his love affair but that does not make his mathematical genius any lesser.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#13[...]Hardy contacted the Indian Office to plan for Ramanujan's trip to Cambridge. Secretary Arthur Davies of the Advisory Committee for Indian Students met with Ramanujan to discuss the overseas trip. In accordance with his Brahmin upbringing, Ramanujan refused to leave his country to "go to a foreign land." So much for being a Math genius. Disclaimer: I am an Indian.
What does your disclaimer mean?
Ramanujan was a tremendously talented mathematician. Just because you come from the same country as him or find his religious beliefs archaic and/or irrational doesn't mean you can just dismiss his achievements.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#14Well known. Now, do you know Slava Pestov?
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#15[...]Hardy contacted the Indian Office to plan for Ramanujan's trip to Cambridge. Secretary Arthur Davies of the Advisory Committee for Indian Students met with Ramanujan to discuss the overseas trip. In accordance with his Brahmin upbringing, Ramanujan refused to leave his country to "go to a foreign land." So much for being a Math genius. Disclaimer: I am an Indian.
Maths and Culture are not related in any way.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#16I loved reading Robert Kanigel's biography - "The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan." Recommended for people who want to know more about the genius mathematician.
The Music of Primes by Marcus Du Sautoy also has an excellent chapter on Ramanujam.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#17[...]Hardy contacted the Indian Office to plan for Ramanujan's trip to Cambridge. Secretary Arthur Davies of the Advisory Committee for Indian Students met with Ramanujan to discuss the overseas trip. In accordance with his Brahmin upbringing, Ramanujan refused to leave his country to "go to a foreign land." So much for being a Math genius. Disclaimer: I am an Indian.
Maths and Culture are not related in any way.
neither are algebra and calculus ;)
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#18Ramanujan was also mentioned in "Good Will Hunting". However I do agree that Indians have done a bad in terms of Marketing our selves. Our brand image over some time has been: Some time Back: Snake Charmers and Kings Now: Bangalore(Outsourcing) & Spicy Food
"Snake Charmers" is not a brand image "We" wanted nor created. It is the product of ignorant western minds. Compared to other eastern cultures (chinese and japanese at least) India has suffered from mis-understanding and underwhelming understanding for a long time. You only have to read English literature on India from 18 and 19th century to realize the extent of misinformation generated by the British to legitimise…
I doubt you can speak for your forefathers any more than I can, but it does seem that you would like to rewrite history by today's standards. Perhaps your stereotype of the west is just as perverted.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#19[...]Hardy contacted the Indian Office to plan for Ramanujan's trip to Cambridge. Secretary Arthur Davies of the Advisory Committee for Indian Students met with Ramanujan to discuss the overseas trip. In accordance with his Brahmin upbringing, Ramanujan refused to leave his country to "go to a foreign land." So much for being a Math genius. Disclaimer: I am an Indian.
Newton was supposed to have been an absolute coward.
As a member of parliament the only thing he mentioned, during any session, was a request to open the window.
Feynman was a womanizer who was known to sleep with wives of colleagues. His biography "Genius" is a pretty good read by the way.
Genius doesnt mean "adventurous" or "virtuous" or "worldly". Its just one facet of a human.
Re: Srinivasa Ramanujan
#20Ramanujan was also mentioned in "Good Will Hunting". However I do agree that Indians have done a bad in terms of Marketing our selves. Our brand image over some time has been: Some time Back: Snake Charmers and Kings Now: Bangalore(Outsourcing) & Spicy Food
However I do agree that Indians have done a bad in terms of Marketing our selves.
What is this "we", and since when are people brands?
Bit parochial and jingoist eh? Nations are an illusion, and better image "betterment" can be done by caring for one's immediate neighbor.
Don't succumb to regionalist propaganda that serve none other than the ruling classes; all earth is yours, and all (wo)men your kin.