Ramanujan – The Real Genius

The world will soon remember the renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan once again, as a biopic on his life, named The Man Who Knew Infinity, is set to release this April. Ramanujan, who lived a short but very productive life, continues to be an inspiration for mathematicians across the world, and his work has inspired a lot of research over the years. Here are 7 things to know about him:
1. He was the second Indian to be inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a Fellowship of some of the world’s most eminent scientists.
2. He joined the fellowship in 1918 at the age of 31, as one of youngest fellows in the history of the society.
3. A follower of goddess Mahalakshmi, Ramanujan credited her for his abilities.
4. He once said, “An equation for me has no meaning, unless it represents a thought of God.”
5. He compiled 3,900 results (mostly identities and equations), before he lost his life at the age of 32.
6. His infinite series for pi was one of his most celebrated findings.
7. There is also a museum dedicated to telling Ramanujan’s life story. It is located in Chennai and has many photographs of his home and family, along with letters to and from friends, relatives, etc.