Srinivasa Ramanujan Biography: Education, Contribution, Interesting Facts

Srinivasa Ramanujan: Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) was an Indian mathematician known for his brilliant, self-taught contributions to number theory and mathematical analysis. His work, including discoveries in infinite series and modular forms, has had a lasting impact on mathematics.

In this article, We have covered the Complete Biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan including his early childhood and education, Srinivasa Ramanujan’s Contribution to Mathematics, Interesting Facts about him, and many more.

Let’s dive right in.

Srinivasa Ramanujan Biography

Srinivasa Ramanujan Biography Overview

Here are some major details about Srinivasa Ramanujan FRS as mentioned below:

Full Name	Srinivasa Ramanujan FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society)
Father	Kuppuswamy Srinivasa Iyengar.
Mother	Komalatamma.
Born	22nd December, 1887.
Birth Place	Erode, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu), India.
Died	26th April, 1920.
Cause Of Death	Tuberculosis.
Death Place	Kumbakonam, Madras Presidency, British India.
Field Of Work	Mathematics.
Contributions In Mathematics	Mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, continued fractions, modular forms and mock theta functions.
Education	He was a self-taught mathematician with no formal education in mathematics.
Recognitions	He was the Fellow of the Royal Society in 1918. He was awarded the Bôcher Memorial Prize in 1921 (Posthumously).

Srinivasa Ramanujan Early Life and Education

Srinivasa Ramanujan FRS was an Indian mathematician who was the mathematics god in contemporary times. The genius proposed some theories and works in the 20th century that are still relevant in this 21st century.

Birth of Srinivasa Ramanujan

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, India. A self-taught mathematician, he made significant contributions to number theory and mathematical analysis, despite facing limited formal education.He was born in a poor family. His father was a clerk. His mother was a homemaker.

• He was born on 22nd December 1887.
• His native place is a south Indian town of Tamil Nadu, named Erode.
• His father Mr. Kuppuswamy Srinivasa Iyengar worked as a clerk in a saree shop.
• His mother Mrs. Komalatamma was a housewife.

Education of Srinivasa Ramanujan

Srinivasa Ramanujan did his early schooling in Madras. He was a self taught mathematician. He won so many academic prizes in his high school. In his college life started to study mathematics only. He performed bad in all other subjects. He dropped out of college due to the academic reasons. His theories got a final breakdown at this stage.

• His early education was started in Madras.
• He fall in love with Mathematics at a very young age.
• He got many academis prizes in his school life.
• He continued to study one subject in collge and kept failing in other subjects.
• For this he became a dropped out student.

Final Breakthrough in life of Srinivasa Ramanujan

At this time Ramanujan sent his works to the International mathematicians. In 1912, he was working as a clerk in the Madras Post Trust Office. At this time he reached out to the famous mathematician G.H. Hardy. In 1913, he sent his 120 theorems to the famous mathematician G.H. Hardy. G.H. Hardy analysed his work and from here Ramanujan became a genius for the world. He moved to abroad to work more on these theories.

• After dropping out from college, he started to send his work to International mathematicians.
• In 1912, he was appointed as a clerk of Madras Post Trust Office.
• The manager of Madras Post Trust Office, SN Aiyar helped him to communicate with G.H. Hardy.

Srinivasa Ramanujan in England

Srinivasa Ramanujan’s time in England, particularly at Cambridge University, was a crucial period in his life marked by significant mathematical contributions, collaboration. Here is his time in England chronologically.

1. 1914: Ramanujan arrived in England in April 1914, initially facing challenges in adapting to the climate and culture.
2. Collaboration with G. H. Hardy: Upon his arrival, he started collaborating with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge University. Hardy recognized Ramanujan’s exceptional talent and the two worked closely on various mathematical problems.
3. 1916: Despite lacking formal academic credentials, Ramanujan was admitted to Cambridge University based on the strength of his mathematical work. He became a research student.
4. Contributions to Mathematics: Between 1914 and 1919, Ramanujan produced over 30 research papers, making profound contributions to number theory, modular forms, and elliptic functions, among other areas.
5. Recognition and Fellowships: In 1918, Ramanujan was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a prestigious recognition of his outstanding contributions to mathematics.
6. Health Challenges: Ramanujan faced health challenges during his time in England, exacerbated by malnutrition. His dedication to mathematics often led him to neglect his well-being.
7. Return to India: Due to deteriorating health, Ramanujan returned to India in 1919. His contributions to mathematics during his time in England left an indelible mark on the field.

Srinivasa Ramanujan Contribution to Mathematics

Here are some major contributions of Srinivasa Ramanujan as mentioned below:

1. Infinite Series and Continued Fractions:
   • Developed advanced formulas for hypergeometric series and discovered relationships between different series.
   • Contributed to the theory of q-series and modular forms.
2. Ramanujan-Hardy Number (1729):
   • Identified the famous number 1729 as the smallest positive integer expressible as the sum of two cubes in two distinct ways.
3. Mock Theta Functions:
   • Introduced and studied mock theta functions, extending the theory of theta functions in modular forms.
4. Partition Function and Congruences:
   • Investigated the partition function, yielding groundbreaking results and congruences that significantly advanced number theory.
5. Ramanujan Prime and Tau Function:
   • Proposed the concept of the Ramanujan prime, contributing to the understanding of prime numbers.
   • Worked on the tau function, providing insights into modular forms and elliptic functions.
6. Theta Functions and Elliptic Functions:
   • Made profound contributions to the theory of theta functions and elliptic functions, impacting the field of complex analysis.
7. Unified Theories:
   • Strived to unify different areas of mathematics, demonstrating a deep understanding of mathematical structures.
8. Collaboration with G. H. Hardy:
   • Collaborated with G. H. Hardy at Cambridge University, resulting in joint publications that enriched the field of mathematics.
9. Theorems in Calculus:
   • Developed theorems in calculus, showcasing his ability to provide rigorous mathematical proofs for his intuitive results.

Srinivasa Ramanujan Discovery

The following are some of the some of the notable discoveries of Srinivasa Ramanujan:

Discovery/Contribution	Details
Infinite Series Formulas	Developed numerous formulas for infinite series, including results related to hypergeometric series.
Ramanujan-Hardy Number (1729)	Identified 1729 as the smallest positive integer expressible as the sum of two cubes in two ways.
Mock Theta Functions	Introduced mock theta functions, expanding the theory of modular forms and number theory.
Partition Function and Congruences	Explored the partition function, discovering congruences that significantly impacted number theory.
Ramanujan Prime and Tau Function	Introduced the concept of the Ramanujan prime and contributed to the tau function in modular forms.
Theta Functions and Elliptic Functions	Advanced the study of theta functions and elliptic functions, deepening the understanding of these mathematical concepts.
Unified Theories	Worked towards unifying different mathematical theories, showcasing a holistic approach.
Collaboration with G. H. Hardy	Collaborated with G. H. Hardy, resulting in joint publications and advancements in mathematical research.

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Interesting Facts about Srinivasa Ramanujan

1. Self-Taught Genius:
   • Ramanujan had no formal training in mathematics and was largely self-taught. His early exposure to advanced mathematical concepts was through books he obtained and studied on his own.
2. Remarkable Intuition:
   • Ramanujan was known for his intuitive approach to mathematics. He often presented results without formal proofs, and many of his theorems were later proven by other mathematicians.
3. Mathematical Prodigy:
   • By the age of 13, Ramanujan had independently developed theorems in advanced trigonometry and infinite series. His mathematical talent was evident from a young age.
4. Infinite Series in Childhood:
   • As a child, Ramanujan discovered the formula for the sum of an infinite geometric series at the age of 14, which was published in the Journal of the Indian Mathematical Society.
5. The Hardy-Ramanujan Number (1729):
   • During a visit to Ramanujan in the hospital, G. H. Hardy mentioned taking a rather dull taxi with the number 1729. Ramanujan immediately replied that 1729 is an interesting number as it is the smallest number that can be expressed as the sum of two cubes in two different ways: 1729=13+123=93+1031729=13+123=93+103. This incident led to the term “taxicab number.”
6. Pioneering Work in Number Theory:
   • Ramanujan made substantial contributions to number theory, particularly in the areas of prime numbers, modular forms, and elliptic functions.
7. Election to the Royal Society:
   • In 1918, Ramanujan was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a prestigious recognition of his outstanding contributions to mathematics.
8. Health Challenges:
   • Ramanujan faced health issues during his time in England, partly due to nutritional deficiencies. His dedication to mathematics sometimes led him to neglect his well-being.

Awards and Achievements of Srinivasa Ramanujan

Srinivasa Ramanujan FRS was a briliant personality from his childhood. He achieved so many things in his 35 years of life. Here is his Awards and Achievements given below.

Year	Award/Achievement
1918	Fellow of the Royal Society
1917	Adams Prize
1920	Honorary Doctorate from the University of Cambridge

He had completely read Loney’s book on Plane trigimetry at the age of 12.

• He became the first Indian to be honored as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
• In 1997, The Ramanujan Journal was launched to publish about his work.
• 2012 was declared as the National Mathematical Year in India.
• Since 2021 in India, his birth anniversary has been observed as the National Mathematicians Day every year.

FAQs on Srinivasa Ramanujan Biography

What is the meaning of FRS in Srinivasa Ramanujan?

The meaning of FRS is Fellow of Royal Society.

When did Ramanujan got FRS?

On 2nd May 1918 Ramanujan got FRS.

Why is 1729 called Ramanujan number?

1729 as the sum of two positive cubes. It is known as the Hardy–Ramanujan number.

What is Ramanujan famous for?

Ramanujan’s contribution extends to mathematical fields such as complex analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions. 

Why did Ramanujan died at 32?

At the age of 32 Ramanujan died due to tuberculosis.

What was the invention of Srinivasa Ramanujan?

Srinivasa Ramanujan made groundbreaking contributions to mathematics, discovering formulas for infinite series, introducing concepts like modular forms and mock theta functions, and making significant advancements in number theory. His work has had a lasting impact on diverse mathematical fields.

Who was the wife of Srinivasa Ramanujan?

Srinivasa Ramanujan’s wife was Janaki Ammal. They got married in July 1909 when Ramanujan was 21 years old, and Janaki was 10 years old. Their marriage was arranged, following the customs of the time in India.

Did Srinivasa Ramanujan have Child?

Yes, Srinivasa Ramanujan and his wife Janaki Ammal had a son named Namagiri Thayar. The couple named their son after the goddess Namagiri Thayar, to whom Ramanujan attributed the inspiration for some of his mathematical insights.