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India produced two remarkable mathematical minds who amazed the world with their abilities. Srinivasa Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi changed how people view mathematics and mental calculation. Both came from humble backgrounds but achieved global recognition. Their stories inspire millions and showcase Indian mathematical talent on the world stage. This comparison of Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi highlights the differences between theoretical mathematics and mental math while celebrating their unique contributions to Indian mathematics.
Shakuntala Devi was born on November 4, 1929, in Bangalore, India. Her father worked as a circus performer. He discovered her calculation abilities when she was just three years old. She grew up without formal education. Her father took her to perform shows demonstrating her mathematical skills. This early exposure to performance shaped Shakuntala Devi's career as a mathematical prodigy who would later earn international recognition.
Shakuntala Devi earned her nickname "Human Computer" through her lightning-fast calculations. She performed her first show at the University of Mysore when she was six years old. She traveled throughout India and demonstrated her abilities to solve complex calculations instantly. Her reputation grew when she defeated UNIVAC, one of the fastest computers of that time. Her mental calculation abilities amazed mathematicians and scientists worldwide.
Shakuntala Devi entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1982. She multiplied two 13-digit numbers in just 28 seconds. She could calculate cube roots, identify weekdays for any date, and solve complex equations without paper. She once extracted the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds.
Shakuntala Devi Notable Calculation
| Year | Achievement | Details |
| 1977 | Competed against computer | Beat UNIVAC computer in calculating cube roots |
| 1980 | Multiplication record | Multiplied two 13-digit numbers in 28 seconds |
| 1981 | Calendar calculation | Identified day of week for any date within a second |
| 1982 | Guinness World Record | Officially recognized as "Human Computer" |
Shakuntala Devi gained fame across the United States and Europe. She received standing ovations at prestigious institutions like the Imperial College London and University of Rome. The Indian government honored her with the Ramanujan Award. She received doctorate degrees from several universities for her contributions to mathematics and education.
Shakuntala Devi wrote over 20 books on maths topics and puzzles. Her popular works include "Figuring: The Joy of Numbers," "Puzzle to Puzzle You," and "Mathability." She created methods to make mathematics accessible and enjoyable for everyone. She also wrote "The World of Homosexuals," one of the first studies of homosexuality in India.
| Category | Book Titles | Year Published |
| Mathematics | Figuring: The Joy of Numbers | 1977 |
| Mathematics | Puzzles to Puzzle You | 1976 |
| Mathematics | More Puzzles to Puzzle You | 1982 |
| Mathematics | Book of Numbers | 1988 |
| Mathematics | Mathability: Awaken the Math Genius in Your Child | 2005 |
| Other | The World of Homosexuals | 1977 |
| Other | Astrology for You | 1980 |
Her contributions to mathematics education include:
Shakuntala Devi performed mathematical calculations faster than many computers of her time. She learned English on her own. She ran as an independent candidate for a parliamentary seat in 1980. She could speak several languages fluently. She often challenged university professors to test her abilities.
Shakuntala Devi married Paritosh Banerjee in 1960 and had a daughter named Anupama. She founded the Shakuntala Devi Education Foundation to promote mathematics learning. She worked to remove the fear of mathematics among students. She delivered lectures worldwide on mathematics education.
| Year | Event |
| 1929 | Born in Bangalore, India |
| 1935 | Gave first public demonstration at University of Mysore |
| 1944 | Moved to London to perform internationally |
| 1960 | Married Paritosh Banerjee |
| 1976 | Published "Puzzles to Puzzle You" |
| 1977 | Published "The World of Homosexuals" |
| 1980 | Contested parliamentary elections in India |
| 1982 | Achieved Guinness World Record |
| 1988 | Established Shakuntala Devi Education Foundation |
| 2013 | Passed away in Bangalore |
Shakuntala Devi died on April 21, 2013, at the age of 83 in Bangalore. Her life inspired the 2020 biographical film "Shakuntala Devi" starring Vidya Balan. Google honored her with a doodle on her 84th birth anniversary. Many schools and mathematics competitions now carry her name.
Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, Tamil Nadu. He showed extraordinary mathematical abilities from a young age. He mastered advanced trigonometry by age 12. He received a scholarship to the Government College in Kumbakonam but lost it when he failed non-mathematics subjects. He pursued mathematics independently despite extreme poverty. Ramanujan's early life demonstrates how mathematical genius can emerge without formal training.
Ramanujan possessed remarkable mathematical intuition. He claimed the goddess Namagiri revealed mathematical formulas to him in dreams. He worked on mathematical problems without formal training. He filled notebooks with thousands of formulas and theorems. He often skipped steps in proofs, seeing connections others couldn't perceive. Ramanujan's mathematical intuition allowed him to arrive at complex formulas that mathematicians still study today.
Ramanujan made groundbreaking contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, and continued fractions. He discovered over 3,900 mathematical results and identities. He developed the Ramanujan prime and the Ramanujan theta function. His work on partition functions revolutionized number theory. He created formulas to calculate pi with unprecedented precision.
Key contributions of Ramanujan include:
| Field | Contribution | Impact |
| Number Theory | Ramanujan Prime | New class of prime numbers |
| Infinite Series | Ramanujan Summation | Assigns values to divergent series |
| Analysis | Mock Theta Functions | Led to new branch of mathematics |
| Partition Theory | Partition Formula | Revolutionized understanding of partitions |
The Ramanujan conjecture influences modern mathematics and physics. His notebooks contain thousands of results without proofs that mathematicians still study today. His lost notebook, discovered in 1976, contained additional groundbreaking formulas. Each of his theorems opens entire fields of research.
Key features of Ramanujan's notebooks:
The number 1729 became famous as the "Hardy-Ramanujan number." When G.H. Hardy mentioned arriving in a taxi numbered 1729, Ramanujan immediately recognized it as the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways: 1³ + 12³ = 9³ + 10³ = 1729. This demonstrated his exceptional number sense. Similar stories highlight his remarkable mathematical intuition. The Hardy-Ramanujan collaboration produced significant results in mathematical analysis and number theory.
Ramanujan became the first Indian Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. The Royal Society elected him as a Fellow in 1918, one of the youngest ever. He received the first-class Bachelor of Science degree by research from Cambridge University. The Indian government issued a stamp in his honor in 1962.
Ramanujan suffered from tuberculosis and returned to India in 1919. He died on April 26, 1920, at the age of 32. The Indian government celebrates his birthday as National Mathematics Day. Ramanujan Mathematical Society promotes mathematics research in his honor. The International Centre for Theoretical Physics awards the ICTP Ramanujan Prize annually.
| Year | Honor/Recognition | Details |
| 1962 | Indian Postal Stamp | First commemorative stamp honoring his contributions |
| 1988 | The Man Who Knew Infinity | Biography by Robert Kanigel |
| 2011 | National Mathematics Day | December 22 declared as National Mathematics Day in India |
| 2012 | Ramanujan Math Park | Established in Chennai to promote mathematics education |
| 2015 | Ramanujan Prize | International prize for young mathematicians from developing countries |
| 2016 | The Man Who Knew Infinity | Biographical film starring Dev Patel as Ramanujan |
Ramanujan's work continues to influence fields like string theory, cryptography, and computer algorithms. His formulas help physicists understand black holes. Mathematicians still prove conjectures he proposed a century ago. The Ramanujan Machine, an AI system, discovers new mathematical formulas inspired by his approach. His work on partition functions, modular forms, and continued fractions remains fundamental to advanced mathematics research.
Ramanujan focused on discovering new mathematical theorems and relationships. Shakuntala Devi specialized in rapid mental calculations and computational feats. Ramanujan contributed to theoretical mathematics. Shakuntala Devi excelled at applied mathematics and calculation techniques. Both possessed extraordinary memory and number sense.
| Aspect | Srinivasa Ramanujan | Shakuntala Devi |
| Born | December 22, 1887 | November 4, 1929 |
| Died | April 26, 1920 (age 32) | April 21, 2013 (age 83) |
| Primary Focus | Theoretical mathematics | Mental calculation |
| Education | Minimal formal training | No formal education |
| Recognition | Fellow of Royal Society | Guinness World Record |
| Legacy | Mathematical theories still studied | Educational methods and books |
Both mathematicians raised India's global profile in mathematics. Ramanujan inspired theoretical mathematics research in India. Shakuntala Devi promoted mathematics education among the general public. Ramanujan influenced academic institutions. Shakuntala Devi connected with ordinary people through performances and books.
Ramanujan impacts on society:
Both overcame significant barriers in their paths. Ramanujan faced poverty and colonial attitudes toward Indian mathematicians. Shakuntala Devi broke gender stereotypes in a male-dominated field. Neither received formal mathematical training. Both achieved success through determination and innate talent. They inspire different demographics today.
Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi represent complementary aspects of mathematical brilliance. Both rose from humble beginnings to achieve global recognition. Ramanujan advanced theoretical mathematics through intuitive discoveries. Shakuntala Devi brought mathematics to the public through performances and books. Their legacies continue to inspire mathematicians, educators, and students worldwide. They show that mathematical talent transcends formal education, gender, and socioeconomic barriers. India celebrates both as national treasures who changed mathematical history.
Ramanujan was a pioneering theoretical mathematician known for his deep, abstract contributions to number theory and infinite series. In contrast, Shakuntala Devi was a mental calculator, dubbed the “Human Computer,” renowned for her extraordinary speed in solving arithmetic problems. Ramanujan contributed to the core of mathematical research, while Devi focused on practical mental math and public engagement.
Both were Indian mathematical prodigies who gained global fame without formal higher education in mathematics. They showcased India's intellectual legacy and inspired millions through their natural talents, perseverance, and contributions to mathematics education in India.
Ramanujan had a deeper influence on pure mathematics with his discoveries influencing generations of mathematicians worldwide. Shakuntala Devi was more influential in the popularization of mathematics among the general public and students. Ramanujan’s legacy lives in mathematical research, while Devi inspired interest in mental math and education.
Contributions to partition theory, modular forms, and continued fractions
These form the foundation of modern number theory and string theory.
Shakuntala Devi displayed arithmetic brilliance from a very young age. Her father noticed her ability to solve complex problems mentally, faster than adults using paper. She gave public demonstrations and soon caught the attention of international audiences, earning her the nickname "Human Computer".
Shakuntala Devi entered the Guinness World Records in 1980 by correctly multiplying two 13-digit numbers:
7,686,369,774,870 × 2,465,099,745,779 = 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730
She performed this feat in 28 seconds, beating the UNIVAC computer.
The number 1729 is known as the Hardy–Ramanujan number. It is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two distinct ways:
1729 = 1³ + 12³ = 9³ + 10³
This anecdote highlights Ramanujan’s intuitive brilliance.
Ramanujan's work continues to shape research in:
Algebraic geometry
His Ramanujan Conjecture was pivotal in the development of modern number theory.
On June 18, 1980, in the Imperial College, London, Shakuntala Devi was asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers. She answered in under 30 seconds. The feat was recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records, solidifying her global fame.
