From the Editor's Keyboard

From the Editor's Keyboard FEW EVENTS associated with modern award of this prize has become a char- science have such a long and continu- acteristic feature at the ICMs, keenly ous history as the International Con- looked forward to by the delegates. gresses of Mathematicians. The idea More prizes and various new fea- of such meetings germinated with the tures have been added at the recent "world congress" of mathematicians congresses. and astronomers organized as part of the World's Columbian Exposition The ICMs are also unique among aca- held in Chicago (The Chicago World's demic events, as their organization is Fair) in 1893, and the first official Inter- looked after by a body representing national Congress of Mathematicians the world mathematical community, was held in 1897, during August 9–13, that regenerates itself regularly via in Zurich. The constitution set down at new inputs through elections – the Zurich envisaged having a congress at International Mathematical Union intervals of three to five years, and it (IMU). In the current form the IMU was was also decided to hold the second established in 1951 (renewing the IMU congress in Paris in 1900 on the oc- that was in existence during 1919 to casion of that city's Exposition Univer- 1936) and it has been regularly orga- selle marking the end of the century. nizing the ICMs since then, apart from The famous problems formulated by undertaking various activities pro- Hilbert that have since played an enor- moting international co-operation in mous role in the mathematical devel- mathematics. opments to-date, were a highlight of the Paris Congress. ICMs have since The ICMs have served as an occasion then taken place with remarkable to review the major developments in regularity at intervals of 4 years, except the subject, and to look into possible during the World War years; the reader future directions in various branches, may refer [1] for many interesting de- and above all have played a major role tails about the ICMs until 1986. In 1936 in unifying the practitioners of mathe- the Fields medals were instituted and matics into a global mathematical over the years announcement and community. Many talks at the ICMs 1 have been trend-setters in various The Hyderabad Intelligencer is orga- topics. The participation in ICMs has nized into 4 sections. We begin with grown enormously over the years, with welcoming messages, with some very the growth of the subject itself and enthusiastic and enlightening words increasing globalization of the com- of hospitality, from Professors László munity. Until 1986, the venues of the Lovász, President, IMU, M. S. Raghu- congresses had been in the western nathan, Chair of the Local Organiz- world. In 1990 the congress was held in ing Committee of ICM 2010, and S. E. Kyoto and in 2002 in Beijing, covering Hasnain, Vice Chancellor of the Univer- new ground. ICM 2010 in India makes sity of Hyderabad which is co-ordinat- a new landmark in the global spread ing the ICM. We invited also Professor of the event. Of course we have still a S. R. S. Varadhan to join this "recep- long way to go and undoubtedly del- tion committee", so to speak, and he egates at the Congress, and mathema- graciously agreed. Lovász places the ticians around the world would like to ICMs in perspective from the point see it happen in their neighbourhood, of view of the mathematical com- if not in their own country. munity. Raghunathan brings out the Indian context for ICM 2010. Hasnain It was indeed thoughtful of Springer would convince you of the allure that Hyderabad holds. Varadhan reminisces publishers to have come up with the over his India years and the changes in idea of putting together an "Intelli- a mathematician's life over time! In the gencer", on the occasion of the ICMs. context of their messages I may recall While venturing into a new territory here for the reader's benefit Raghu- and cultural setting, which would be nathan's article "India and The World the case with a large number of del- of Mathematics" [8] and an interview egates at any ICM, an introduction to of Varadhan by Rajendra Bhatia in the place, in terms of the surround- The Mathematical Intelligencer [2] for ings as well as its mathematical iden- related reading. tity, would go a long way in putting the guest at ease. It is commendable We then have a section on ancient that Springer has been providing Indian mathematics. It is common such a service to the delegates on a knowledge that India has had a long complimentary basis, at congress af- and fairly uninterrupted tradition in ter congress, since the 1978 Helsinki mathematics. However, on the whole Congress. there is not much familiarity with the details of the mathematical develop- It was with some trepidation that I ac- ments in the ancient times, even in In- cepted the invitation to be Editor for dia. We bring to our readers a detailed the Hyderabad Intelligencer, awed perspective on ancient Indian math- by the responsibility it would hold to ematics by Professor Kim Plofker, who convey to the delegates in a limited is one of the plenary speakers at ICM issue the essential features of the 2010 (a confession: she was invited to mathematical identity of the country, write the article before it was known that I considered a part of the task. that she was to give a plenary talk!). In I gradually felt relieved, as I received connection with the article it would very good co-operation from in- be befitting to draw the reader's at- vited authors on the one hand, and tention to the author's book [6], and the technical editor Dr. Priti Nanda, a its review by David Mumford [4]. One medical doctor now devoted to the of the current hot topics in the stud- science publication activity (!) and the ies in ancient Indian mathematics is staff of Springer, and it is my earnest discoveries in Calculus made in Kerala hope that what we have put together starting from the 14th century. Profes- would be gratifying to the delegates sor Ramasubramanian brings to us at the Congress and other readers of some of the mathematical details of this issue. the discoveries. 2 Mathematics in the modern era is the We conclude the section with a spe- theme of our next section. I have tried cial tribute to the legendary Indian to trace the rise of modern mathemat- mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, ics in India. It is a pleasure to especially bringing to our readers various quota- acknowledge the indebtedness to tions recreating his genius. [5], [7] and [3] (apart of course from the individual sources noted in the The following section is intended references with the article) and also to present to the reader glimpses of to bring them to the reader's atten- the mathematical life in India. Profes- tion for further reading. The period sor David Mumford has had a long covered extends until the middle of association with the mathematical the 20th century. Coming to the more community in India, having spent recent times we present an article by extended periods in the country and Professor Ramadas on the rise of Geo- having made many friends among In- metry in India. There is of course a lot dian mathematicians. We have here an more to Indian mathematics of our article by him recounting his experi- times. Mathematical activity in India ences, that covers a broad spectrum of grew multi-fold in the second half of life in India. Professor Bhatia, an author the 20th century. The Tata Institute of of several books, throws light on the Fundamental Research, with centres at Mumbai and Bangalore, has been mathematical life in India through a at the forefront in research in a vari- discussion on books that nourished it ety of areas of mathematics. Various over the years. Professor Ramaswamy other Institutes, the Indian Statisti- dwells on the gender issue, describing cal Institute (with centres at Kolkata, the Indian experience in women's par- Delhi, and Bangalore), the Institute of ticipation in mathematics, based on Mathematical Sciences, Chennai, the the narratives by women mathemati- Harish-Chandra Research Institute, cians in the book Lilavati's Daughters, Allahabad, the Indian Institute of Sci- of which he is one of the Editors. ence, Bangalore, have also contributed significantly. Many "Indian Institutes of Apart from introducing the mathe- Technology" have been established matical community with these articles and while their main thrust has been we also bring to the reader a variety of on Technology and Engineering they information introducing Hyderabad. have also contributed to mathemati- A historical portrait of the city by Mr. cal research in the country substan- Narendra Luther, a former civil servant tially. In the competitive scenario for who is a noted authority on the history research, the universities have been and culture of Hyderabad, takes the at a disadvantage, in terms of research reader on a tour of the city through environment and infrastructure, but time and space. We also include use- nevertheless there are many math- ful information on various aspects of ematicians at various universities who interest to the visitors. have made worthwhile contributions. Indian mathematicians have made I would like to thank all the authors, their presence felt in almost all major the editorial staff involved in the pro- branches of mathematics. It would be duction of the articles, and also nu- unrealistic to try to convey even in a merous people, mathematicians as nutshell the achievements in differ- well as others, whose comments and ent branches, in an issue like the pres- suggestions led to improvements in ent one.

Load more