Although I had learnt that Ramanujan was a genius yet I couldn’t appreciate his discoveries or inventions but as I read the book it compelled me to finish reading my very first autobiography.

The sub title of the book entirely captures his work.

The man who knew infinity

Yes, he was the man who knew infinity, who could see where infinite series would converge. He was a sheer genius who is born once in a while (probably centuries) and engulfs the whole community in his aura and brilliance.

Ramanujan was born in Kumbakonam, 160 miles south of Chennai. He had no education to boast about. He would flunk in his exams thrice and his work wouldn’t be understood by anyone. Yet he goes on to become the biggest mathematician of his times, or probably of all times. Some of his works kept other mathematicians busy for another 50-60 years after his demise and made them famous.

In the book “Introduction to the history of Mathematics“, the author Howard Eves mentions that Ramanujan and Hardy end a long dry spell of 9 years in 1917 with their work on analytical number theory.

Few lines from the book in appreciation or should I say awe for Ramanujan which caught my fancy are:-

After reading Ramanujan’s letter, Littlewood said to Hardy- “I would believe he is atleast Euler (considered to be the greatest mathematician of all times).”

It’s (The Lost Notebook (Ramanujan’s notebook)) discovery was comparable to the discovery of a complete sketch of the tenth symphony of Beethoven.

“The best seem to appreciate Ramanujan early” says Richard Askey of university of Wisconsin. “The rest of us have to need some of his work before really appreciating it. “

It is also mentioned in the book that had India appreciated his work a bit earlier he would have been the biggest and best mathematician of all times, undoubtedly. Wonder why does it always happen in India that we fail recognize the extra-ordinary talent!

The book is written in a free flowing manner and primarily responsible for my completion of the book; though it could have been a bit shorter. But still hats off to the author Mr. Robert Kanigel for such a marvellous piece. The more one reads; the more one gets mesmerized by Ramanujan’s genius and his super normal powers.

A must read for all those who want to know about one of the most precious yet not fully discovered gems of India.

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