Every year on December 22, India remembers one of its greatest intellectual minds Srinivasa Ramanujan. Born in 1887, Ramanujan transformed the world of mathematics despite having no formal training, limited resources and a life cut tragically short. His birthday is celebrated as National Mathematics Day to honour not just his genius, but the spirit of curiosity, perseverance and pure intellect that continues to inspire students, scientists and mathematicians across the globe.
From a modest background in Tamil Nadu to global recognition, Ramanujan’s life remains one of the most extraordinary stories in scientific history.
A childhood shaped by numbers not privilege
Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on December 22, 1887, in Erode, Tamil Nadu, and raised in the town of Kumbakonam. Coming from a financially struggling Brahmin family, his childhood was marked by poverty rather than privilege. From a very young age, Ramanujan showed an unusual fascination with numbers. By the age of 12, he had mastered advanced trigonometry on his own and began developing original mathematical ideas without access to formal textbooks or guidance.
Despite his brilliance, Ramanujan struggled in traditional academics. He failed college exams not because he lacked intelligence, but because he focused obsessively on mathematics while ignoring other subjects. This cost him scholarships and degrees, pushing him deeper into financial hardship.
A self taught genius who rewrote mathematical thinking
What set Ramanujan apart was not just intelligence but originality. He did not learn mathematics through structured methods. Instead, he discovered formulas intuitively and recorded thousands of results in notebooks, many without proofs. His work covered number theory, infinite series, continued fractions and mathematical analysis.
Some of his most famous contributions include the Ramanujan prime, Ramanujan theta function, mock theta functions and ground-breaking work on partition theory. Even today, mathematicians continue to discover new meanings and applications hidden within his formulas, decades after his death.
His Intuition was so advanced that many of his results were verified by Western mathematicians years later, proving that his insights were not guesses but deep mathematical truths.
The letter that changed the course of his life
In 1913, living in extreme poverty, Ramanujan wrote a letter to British mathematician G H Hardy at Cambridge University. The letter contained over 100 theorems, identities and equations. Hardy immediately recognised that the work could not belong to an ordinary mind.
This letter led to Ramanujan being invited to Cambridge in 1914, where he collaborated with Hardy and other mathematicians. Despite cultural shock, health issues and racial prejudice, Ramanujan produced some of his most influential work during this period and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1918, one of the highest scientific honours.
A short life marked by extraordinary impact
Ramanujan’s health deteriorated rapidly due to poor living conditions, stress and illness. He returned to India in 1919 and passed away in 1920 at the age of just 32. In his short lifetime, he left behind nearly 4000 mathematical results, many of which were far ahead of their time.
What makes his story even more remarkable is that much of his work continues to influence modern mathematics, physics, cryptography, computer science and even string theory.
Why December 22 is National Mathematics Day
In 2012, the Government of India declared December 22 as National Mathematics Day to honour Ramanujan’s legacy and promote mathematical thinking among young minds. The day aims to encourage innovation, logical reasoning and appreciation for mathematics as a creative and powerful discipline rather than a subject to fear.
Schools, colleges and institutions across India mark the day through lectures, competitions and discussions inspired by Ramanujan’s life and work.
How Ramanujan is remembered across the world today
Today, Ramanujan is regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians in history. His notebooks are still studied by researchers worldwide, with new discoveries emerging from his unpublished work even in the 21st century. Prestigious awards, research centres and academic chairs are named after him in India and abroad.
His life has also inspired books, documentaries and films, including The Man Who Knew Infinity, which brought his story to a global audience and highlighted the human struggle behind extraordinary genius.
Why Ramanujan matters in today’s world
In an era driven by technology and data, Ramanujan’s work forms the foundation for several modern advancements. Concepts derived from his theories are used in computer algorithms, encryption systems, artificial intelligence research and theoretical physics.
More importantly, Ramanujan represents the idea that talent can emerge from anywhere. His journey proves that curiosity, imagination and persistence can overcome limited resources and rigid systems.
What the world remembers Ramanujan for
Srinivasa Ramanujan is remembered not just for his formulas, but for redefining what human intellect can achieve against all odds. He showed that mathematics is not just calculation, but creativity and intuition combined. His legacy continues to remind the world that brilliance does not always come from classrooms, but sometimes from quiet minds daring to think differently.
As India celebrates National Mathematics Day on December 22, Ramanujan’s life stands as a timeless reminder that true genius leaves behind ideas that outlive time itself.