Guwahati Celebrates National Mathematics Day with Tribute to Srinivasa Ramanujan

Guwahati: Guwahati observed National Mathematics Day on Monday with a day-long programme at the Japorigog Mathematics Hall, marking the 138th birth anniversary of legendary Indian mathematician Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan. The event brought together students, teachers, scholars and intellectuals to remember Ramanujan’s life and celebrate the spirit of mathematics.

The programme began at 9:30 AM with a Smriti Tarpan ceremony, by paying homage to Ramanujan’s lasting contributions to the world of mathematics. This was followed by an inter-school quiz competition on mathematics, science and general knowledge, which saw enthusiastic participation from students across the city. The quiz was conducted by prominent quizmaster Mukut Choudhury, with bank official Sanjeev Kumar Nath lending support and encouragement. Winners were awarded cash prizes and certificates.

The main attraction of the day was a symposium titled “Ramanujan, Mathematics, and Beyond”. The session was taken over by senior columnist and author Kanu Kanta Sen, while retired Chief Engineer Bhupendra Chandra Sharma delivered the keynote address. Sharma spoke at length about Ramanujan’s remarkable journey from modest beginnings to global recognition, highlighting how his intuitive brilliance transformed areas such as number theory, infinite series, continued fractions and mock theta functions, despite his lack of formal training.

The programme also recognised contributions beyond academics. Senior journalist Safiqur Rahman of Nagaon was honoured with the Muhiram Saikia Memorial Award for his work in civic journalism and public awareness. In his speech, Rahman encouraged students to draw inspiration from Ramanujan’s life and called for wider recognition of National Mathematics Day across Assam. He also appealed for official recognition of the “Abhoy Method” of calculating square and cube roots developed by Kailash Choudhury.

Several insightful lectures glorified the event. Achyut Patowary of Asomiya Pratidin spoke on the philosophical aspects of mathematics, while retired professor Jesim Hazarika explained complex concepts through simple board demonstrations. Dr Sujan Kalita of Kamrup College made students cautious against excessive mobile phone use and its impact on learning.

Anchoring was done by Kailash Choudhury, the programme ended with a vote of thanks by Mukut Choudhury, who mentioned the need to preserve and promote the legacy of great mathematical minds like Ramanujan for future generations.

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