Ganesh Prasad
Encyclopedia
Ganesh Prasad was an Indian mathematician
who specialized in the theory of potentials
, theory of functions of a real variable
, Fourier series
and the theory of surfaces. He was trained at the Universities of Cambridge and Göttingen and on return to India he helped develop the culture of mathematical research in India. The mathematical community of India considers Ganesh Prasad as the Father of Mathematical Research in India. He was also an educator taking special interest in the advancement of primary education in the rural areas of India.
, Uttar Pradesh
. He obtained the B.A. degree from Muir Central College, Allahabad, M.A. degree from the Universities in Allahabad and Calcutta and the D.Sc. degree from Allahabad University. After teaching
at the Kayasth Pathshala, Allahabad, and at the Muir Central College, Allahabad, for about two years, he proceeded to Cambridge
for higher studies and research.
While at Cambridge he became acquainted with mathematicians like E.W. Hobson and Andrew Forsyth
. He also sat, though unsuccessfully, for the Adams prize
competition.
Later he moved to Göttingen
where he was associated with Arnold Sommerfeld
, David Hilbert
and Georg Cantor
. In Göttingen Prasad showed his paper titled On the constitution of matter and the analytical theories of heat, the one he had submitted for the Adams prize competition, to Felix Klein
, who appreciated it very much and got it published in the Göttingen Abhandllingen. Ganesh Prasad spent altogether about five years in Europe.
. Within a year of his appointment at Allahabad, Prasad was sent to the Queen's College, Banaras and he continued there till 1914 when he was invited to head the mathematics department of Calcutta University. Ganesh Prasad was the Ras Behari Ghosh Chair of Applied Mathematics of Calcutta University (he was the first person to occupy this Chair) from 1914 to 1917 and Hardinge Professor of Mathematics in the same University from 1923 till his death on 9 March 1935. In between these two assignments he served Banaras Hindu University
as professor of mathematics. While at Banaras, he helped found the Banaras Mathematical Society. Ganesh Prasad was elected President of the Calcutta Mathematical Society
and the Vice-President of the Indian Association for Advancement of Science, Calcutta in 1924 and continued in the same position till his death. He was a founder member of the National Institute of Sciences, India, which has now been rechristened as the Indian National Science Academy
.
Ganesh Prasad authored 11 books including A Treatise on Spherical Harmonics and the Functions of Bessel and Lame and over fifty reaearch papers in mathematics.
. He was instrumental in the introduction of compulsory primary education in villages in Uttar Pradesh. He donated from his private savings an amount of Rs.22,000 for the education of girls in Ballia
. He also donated an amount of Rupees two hundred thousand for establishing prizes for the toppers at the M.A. and M.Sc. examinations of the Agra University. He donated large amounts of money to the Allahabad
and Banaras
Universities also.
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
who specialized in the theory of potentials
Potential theory
In mathematics and mathematical physics, potential theory may be defined as the study of harmonic functions.- Definition and comments :The term "potential theory" was coined in 19th-century physics, when it was realized that the fundamental forces of nature could be modeled using potentials which...
, theory of functions of a real variable
Function of a real variable
In mathematics, a function of a real variable is a mathematical function whose domain is the real line. More loosely, a function of a real variable is sometimes taken to mean any function whose domain is a subset of the real line....
, Fourier series
Fourier series
In mathematics, a Fourier series decomposes periodic functions or periodic signals into the sum of a set of simple oscillating functions, namely sines and cosines...
and the theory of surfaces. He was trained at the Universities of Cambridge and Göttingen and on return to India he helped develop the culture of mathematical research in India. The mathematical community of India considers Ganesh Prasad as the Father of Mathematical Research in India. He was also an educator taking special interest in the advancement of primary education in the rural areas of India.
Early days
Ganesh Prasad was born on 15 November 1876 at BalliaBallia
Ballia is a city with a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara...
, Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. He obtained the B.A. degree from Muir Central College, Allahabad, M.A. degree from the Universities in Allahabad and Calcutta and the D.Sc. degree from Allahabad University. After teaching
at the Kayasth Pathshala, Allahabad, and at the Muir Central College, Allahabad, for about two years, he proceeded to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
for higher studies and research.
While at Cambridge he became acquainted with mathematicians like E.W. Hobson and Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Russell Forsyth was a Scottish mathematician.Andrew Forsyth studied at Liverpool College and was tutored by Richard Pendlebury before entering Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating senior wrangler in 1881...
. He also sat, though unsuccessfully, for the Adams prize
Adams Prize
The Adams Prize is awarded each year by the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and St John's College to a young, UK based mathematician for first-class international research in the Mathematical Sciences....
competition.
Later he moved to Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
where he was associated with Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Johannes Wilhelm Sommerfeld was a German theoretical physicist who pioneered developments in atomic and quantum physics, and also educated and groomed a large number of students for the new era of theoretical physics...
, David Hilbert
David Hilbert
David Hilbert was a German mathematician. He is recognized as one of the most influential and universal mathematicians of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Hilbert discovered and developed a broad range of fundamental ideas in many areas, including invariant theory and the axiomatization of...
and Georg Cantor
Georg Cantor
Georg Ferdinand Ludwig Philipp Cantor was a German mathematician, best known as the inventor of set theory, which has become a fundamental theory in mathematics. Cantor established the importance of one-to-one correspondence between the members of two sets, defined infinite and well-ordered sets,...
. In Göttingen Prasad showed his paper titled On the constitution of matter and the analytical theories of heat, the one he had submitted for the Adams prize competition, to Felix Klein
Felix Klein
Christian Felix Klein was a German mathematician, known for his work in group theory, function theory, non-Euclidean geometry, and on the connections between geometry and group theory...
, who appreciated it very much and got it published in the Göttingen Abhandllingen. Ganesh Prasad spent altogether about five years in Europe.
Mathematical career
Prasad returned to India from Europe in 1904 and was appointed professor of mathematics at the Muir Central College, AllahabadAllahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
. Within a year of his appointment at Allahabad, Prasad was sent to the Queen's College, Banaras and he continued there till 1914 when he was invited to head the mathematics department of Calcutta University. Ganesh Prasad was the Ras Behari Ghosh Chair of Applied Mathematics of Calcutta University (he was the first person to occupy this Chair) from 1914 to 1917 and Hardinge Professor of Mathematics in the same University from 1923 till his death on 9 March 1935. In between these two assignments he served Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
as professor of mathematics. While at Banaras, he helped found the Banaras Mathematical Society. Ganesh Prasad was elected President of the Calcutta Mathematical Society
Calcutta Mathematical Society
The Calcutta Mathematical Society is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and education in India...
and the Vice-President of the Indian Association for Advancement of Science, Calcutta in 1924 and continued in the same position till his death. He was a founder member of the National Institute of Sciences, India, which has now been rechristened as the Indian National Science Academy
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
.
Ganesh Prasad authored 11 books including A Treatise on Spherical Harmonics and the Functions of Bessel and Lame and over fifty reaearch papers in mathematics.
A few notable students
- A.N. Singh & B.B Datta : authors of History of Hindu Mathematics : A source bookHistory of Hindu Mathematics : A source bookHistory of Hindu Mathematics: A source book is a two volume set work on the history of mathematics in Pre-British India. The first vol. deals with the history of the numeral notations and of arithmetic. The second vol. is devoted to algebra, a science in which the ancient Hindus made remarkable...
(2 Volumes) - Gorakh Prasad : A former Professor at Allahabad University
- R.S. Varma
- B.N. Prasad : Founder of the Allahabad mathematical Society
- N.G. Shabde
- R.D. Mishra
Other areas of work
Ganesh Prasad worked hard for the promotion of education in general in the rural areas of Uttar PradeshUttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. He was instrumental in the introduction of compulsory primary education in villages in Uttar Pradesh. He donated from his private savings an amount of Rs.22,000 for the education of girls in Ballia
Ballia
Ballia is a city with a municipal board in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The eastern boundary of the city lies at the junction of the Ganges and the Ghaghara...
. He also donated an amount of Rupees two hundred thousand for establishing prizes for the toppers at the M.A. and M.Sc. examinations of the Agra University. He donated large amounts of money to the Allahabad
Allahabad University
Allahabad University , is a premier Central University located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. Its origins lie in the Muir Central College, named after Lt...
and Banaras
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University is a public university located in Varanasi, India and is one of the Central Universities of India. It is the largest residential university in Asia, with over 24,000 students in its campus. BHU was founded in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya under the Parliamentary...
Universities also.