Some of you may find mathematics confusing, while others enjoy playing with numbers. Regardless of whether you love or dislike math, it plays a crucial role in our daily lives. Did you know that many Indian mathematicians have earned global recognition for their contributions? If you can’t think of any names right now, don’t worry! After reading this article, you’ll always remember the great mathematicians of India. Here’s a list of famous Indian mathematicians, along with their pictures and names, for you to explore.
List of Great Indian Mathematicians and Their Contributions
1. Srinivasa Ramanujan
Born in 1887, Srinivasa Ramanujan was a remarkable Indian mathematician whose contributions continue to be recognized worldwide. As a child, he displayed extraordinary mathematical abilities, far surpassing his peers. Hailing from Tamil Nadu, his family struggled financially, making it difficult to support his passion for mathematics.
His inspiration came from George S. Carr’s book Synopsis of Elementary Results in Pure Mathematics, which fueled his enthusiasm for the subject. Ramanujan is best remembered for his groundbreaking discoveries, including important equations, the infinite series of π, and game theory. The turning point in his life came in 1914 when the renowned mathematician G.H. Hardy invited him to Cambridge. In 1916, he was awarded a PhD from the institution. Unfortunately, Ramanujan succumbed to tuberculosis in 1920, passing away at a young age. Despite his short life, he remains one of India’s most celebrated mathematicians.
2. Bhaskara I
Bhaskara I, a 7th-century Indian mathematician, was born around 600 CE and lived until 680 CE. He is known for his significant contributions to mathematics, particularly the development of the Hindu decimal system. A devoted follower of Aryabhata, Bhaskara wrote a critique titled Aryabhatiyabhasya in 629 CE, making it the oldest known Sanskrit work on mathematics and astronomy.
His notable works include Mahabhaskariya and Laghubhaskariya, which delve into mathematical astronomy. Mahabhaskariya consists of eight chapters discussing topics such as the relationship between sine and cosine, planetary longitudes, conjunctions, eclipses, and trigonometric concepts. He also introduced the Pell equation (8x² + 1 = y²). Along with Brahmagupta, Bhaskara I is regarded as one of the greatest ancient Indian mathematicians.
3. Aryabhatta
Aryabhatta, one of India’s greatest mathematicians and astronomers, lived between 476 and 550 CE, during the golden period of Indian science. His contributions include determining the spherical shape of the Earth and the number of days in a year. His two notable works are Aryabhatasiddhanta and Aryabhatiya. While the former is lost, Aryabhatiya consists of three sections:
- Ganita (Mathematics): Covers decimal place values, cube and square roots, and sine calculations using the Pythagorean theorem.
- Kala-kriya (Time Calculations): Discusses planetary movements and time measurement.
- Gola (Sphere): Uses trigonometry to explain spherical geometry.
4. Brahmagupta
Brahmagupta, a 7th-century mathematician from Rajasthan, is best known for his book Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta, which introduced the use of zero as a number in calculations. He made significant contributions to arithmetic, trigonometry, and algebra, including solutions for linear equations, Brahmagupta’s theorem, and Brahmagupta’s formula. He also laid the foundation for negative numbers and their operations. His establishment of √10 (3.162277) helped advance trigonometry and geometry.
5. P.C. Mahalanobis
Born in 1893 in Kolkata, Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis was a mathematician, scientist, and statistician, widely regarded as the Father of Indian Statistics. He graduated in physics from Presidency College before pursuing higher studies at Cambridge. In 1913, he co-founded the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI). His major contributions include the D²-statistic or Mahalanobis Distance, a measure of correlation between data sets. Additionally, he played a crucial role in the establishment of India’s Planning Commission and contributed to the construction of the Hirakud Dam in Odisha.
6. Satyendra Nath Bose
Satyendra Nath Bose, renowned for the Bose-Einstein Condensate, was an Indian mathematician and physicist who collaborated with Albert Einstein. Born in 1894 in Kolkata, he excelled in mathematics from an early age. In 1924, Bose published a paper deriving Planck’s quantum radiation law without classical physics references, which gained Einstein’s attention. Einstein translated the paper into German, enhancing Bose’s recognition worldwide. Bose was honored with the Padma Vibhushan and is remembered as the Father of the God Particle for his contributions to boson particle theory.
7. D.R. Kaprekar
Dattathreya Ramchandra Kaprekar, known as Ganitananda, was born in 1905. He gained fame for his discoveries in number theory, including the Kaprekar Constant (6174). Although he did not hold an official research position, he published numerous works on magic squares, recurring decimals, and numbers with special properties, making significant contributions to recreational mathematics.
8. Shakuntala Devi
Shakuntala Devi, popularly known as the Human Computer, was born in 1929 in Bangalore. Her exceptional mental calculation skills earned her a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Her journey from performing in circuses to gaining international fame showcases her extraordinary mathematical talents.
9. Mahavira
Mahavira, a 9th-century Indian mathematician, played a key role in distinguishing mathematics from astrology. His work Ganitasarasangraha covers various mathematical principles, including linear and quadratic equations, proportionality rules, and geometric concepts. He was the first to assert that square roots do not exist for negative numbers.
10. Narendra Karmarkar
Narendra Karmarkar, an electrical engineering graduate from IIT Bombay, is known for developing polynomial-time algorithms for solving linear programming problems. His contributions significantly advanced computational mathematics and optimization techniques.
11. C.R. Rao
Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao, a legendary statistician, made remarkable contributions in medicine, economics, and demography. Born in 1920, he was inspired by problem-solving books his father gifted him. He later earned a gold medal in statistics and was honored with the Padma Vibhushan and the U.S. National Medal of Science.
12. Harish Chandra
Born in 1923, Harish Chandra was an Indian-American mathematician and physicist known for his work in representation theory. His research in harmonic analysis on semisimple Lie groups was groundbreaking. He received numerous accolades, including the Padma Bhushan, the Cole Prize, and the Srinivasa Ramanujan Medal.
13. Ashutosh Mukherjee
Ashutosh Mukherjee played a vital role in recognizing the talents of mathematicians like S. Radhakrishnan and C.V. Raman. He contributed extensively to mathematics and physics research and founded the Calcutta Mathematical Society in 1908.
14. Ganesh Prasad
Born in 1876, Ganesh Prasad was a pioneer in mathematical research in India. His significant works include Functions of Bessel and Lame and A Treatise for Spherical Harmonics. He specialized in real-variable functions, potential theory, and Fourier series. After completing his higher education at Cambridge, he returned to India and fostered a research culture, earning him the title Father of Mathematical Research in India.
These great mathematicians have left a lasting impact on the world, and their contributions continue to inspire future generations.
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Famous Indian Mathematicians and Their Inventions
Here are some of the greatest Indian mathematicians and their significant contributions:
| Mathematicians | Renowned Works and Inventions |
| Aryabhata | Formula: (a + b) 2 = a2 + b2 + 2ab |
| Brahmagupta | Introduction of zero (0) |
| Srinivasa Ramanujan | Properties of the Partition Function |
| P.C. Mahalanobis | Mahalanobis Distance |
| C.R. Rao | Theory of Estimation |
| D.R. Kaprekar | Devlali numbers, Kaprekar numbers, the Harshad numbers and Demlo numbers. |
| Harish Chandra | Representation theory, Harmonic analysis on semisimple Lie groups. |
| Satyendra Nath Bose | Collaboration with Albert Einstein, Modern theoretical physics in India. |
| Bhaskara | Declared that any number divided by zero is infinity and that the sum of any number and infinity is also infinity. |
| Narendra Karmarkar | Karmarkar’s algorithm |
List of Famous Female Mathematicians of India
Here is a list of notable female mathematicians from India that you should know about:
- Raman Parimala
- Neena Gupta
- Shakuntala Devi
- Sujatha Ramdorai
- Mangala Narlikar
- Vanaja Iyengar
- Renuka Ravindra
- Ajit Iqbal Singh
- T. A. Sarasvati Amma
- Bhama Srinivasan
List of the Best Mathematicians in the World
Here are some of the most influential mathematicians from around the world who have made remarkable contributions to the field of mathematics:
- Euclid
- Pythagoras
- Thales of Miletus
- Aristotle
- Diophantus
- Archimedes
- Eratosthenes
- Hipparchus
- Ptolemy
- Hero of Alexandria
- Xenocrates
- Anaxagoras
- Hypatia
- Antiphon
- Diocles
