Two Indian mathematicians who have made significant contributions to the field are Srinivasa Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi.
Srinivasa Ramanujan was born in 1887 in Erode, Tamil Nadu, India. He showed an early aptitude for mathematics and received little formal education, but he was able to teach himself advanced mathematics by studying books on his own. Ramanujan's natural talent for mathematics was recognized by G. H. Hardy, a renowned mathematician at the University of Cambridge. Hardy invited Ramanujan to come to Cambridge to work with him, and Ramanujan accepted the offer.
At Cambridge, Ramanujan made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, including the discovery of several previously unknown theorems. His work on partition numbers, the Riemann zeta function, and the distribution of prime numbers has had a lasting impact on the field and continues to be studied today. Ramanujan's work on the theory of modular forms has also been highly influential.
Ramanujan was recognized for his contributions to mathematics during his lifetime and was awarded a number of prizes, including the Royal Society's Hughes Medal. He passed away in 1920 at the young age of 32, but his contributions to mathematics have had a lasting impact.
Shakuntala Devi was another Indian mathematician who made significant contributions to the field. She was born in 1929 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Like Ramanujan, Devi showed an early aptitude for mathematics and was able to teach herself advanced mathematics.
Devi became known for her exceptional mental calculation abilities and was often referred to as the "human computer." She was able to perform complex mathematical calculations at lightning speeds and was able to solve mathematical problems that would have taken a computer hours to solve in just a few seconds.
In addition to her mental calculation abilities, Devi also made significant contributions to the field of mathematics through her writing. She wrote a number of books on mathematics and education, including "The World of Homosexuals," which was one of the first books on homosexuality to be published in India.
Throughout her career, Devi was recognized for her contributions to mathematics and education. She received numerous awards and accolades, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors. Devi passed away in 2013 at the age of 83, but her contributions to mathematics and education continue to be remembered and celebrated.
In conclusion, Srinivasa Ramanujan and Shakuntala Devi were both Indian mathematicians who made significant contributions to the field. Ramanujan made important discoveries in the areas of partition numbers, the Riemann zeta function, and the distribution of prime numbers, while Devi was known for her exceptional mental calculation abilities and her contributions to mathematics education. Both mathematicians were recognized for their contributions during their lifetimes and continue to be remembered and celebrated today.