V. Ramaswamy Aiyer
Encyclopedia
V. Ramaswamy Aiyer was a civil servant in the Madras Provincial Service. In 1907, along with a group of friends, he founded the Indian Mathematical Society
with headquarters in Pune
. He was the first Secretary of the Society and acted in that position until 1910. Ramaswamy Aiyer also served the Society as its President from 1926 to 1930.
District, in his maternal grandfather's house. He completed the F.A. course at a local college in Coimbatore
and secured B.A. and M.A. degrees from Presidency College, Chennai
. During his student days, Ramaswamy Aiyer took an active interest in cricket
and gymnastics
. While still a student at the Presidency College, he contributed to the Educational Times and other mathematical journals. The Editor of the Educational Times addressed him as 'Professor Ramaswami', mistaking him for a College Professor. This informal title of 'Professor' stuck to him ever afterwards.
After securing the M.A. degree, he served Central College, Bangalore
for a short period and was then appointed to Mysore Maharahaj's college to assist Principal Weir in teaching Mathematics for the B.A. Degree. In 1898 he joined Madras Provincial Service as a civil servant. After a probationary period he was appointed Deputy Collector in 1901. He retired from the Service in 1926. Ramaswamy Aiyer died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 22 January 1936.
, with 20 members. Pune
was chosen as the headquarters of the Society and Ramaswamy Aiyer acted as its Secretary till 1910. As Secretary, he started the Society's Journal and established its library. Ramaswamy Aiyer left the Society's Committee in 1910, but continued to actively participate in its activities. He was appointed President of the Society in 1926, and held that position until 1930.
sought his patronage
and asked to be appointed as a clerk in his office. Ramanujan's only recommendation was his mathematical notebooks, which are preserved in the Madras University Library. On examining the contents of the notebooks, Ramaswami Aiyer was struck by the extraordinary results recorded in them, and recommended Ramanujan to his mathematical friends in Madras. He also helped to publish Ramanujan's early work in the Journal of Indian Mathematical Society.
Indian Mathematical Society
Indian Mathematical Society is the oldest organization in India devoted to the promotion of study and research in mathematics. The Society was founded in April 1907 by V. Ramaswamy Aiyer with its head-quarters at Pune. The Society started its activities under the name Analytic Club and the name...
with headquarters in Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
. He was the first Secretary of the Society and acted in that position until 1910. Ramaswamy Aiyer also served the Society as its President from 1926 to 1930.
Early life and career
Ramaswamy Aiyer was born on August 4, 1871 at Satyamangalam, in the then CoimbatoreCoimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
District, in his maternal grandfather's house. He completed the F.A. course at a local college in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
and secured B.A. and M.A. degrees from Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
. During his student days, Ramaswamy Aiyer took an active interest in cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
. While still a student at the Presidency College, he contributed to the Educational Times and other mathematical journals. The Editor of the Educational Times addressed him as 'Professor Ramaswami', mistaking him for a College Professor. This informal title of 'Professor' stuck to him ever afterwards.
After securing the M.A. degree, he served Central College, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
for a short period and was then appointed to Mysore Maharahaj's college to assist Principal Weir in teaching Mathematics for the B.A. Degree. In 1898 he joined Madras Provincial Service as a civil servant. After a probationary period he was appointed Deputy Collector in 1901. He retired from the Service in 1926. Ramaswamy Aiyer died of a cerebral hemorrhage on 22 January 1936.
Founding of the Indian Mathematical Society
In 1906, while he was Deputy Collector at Gooty in 1906, Ramaswamy Aiyer organised an Association called the Analytic Club to secure facilities for study and research in mathematics. Initially there were three members in the Club. On the 4th April 1907 he announced in the Madras Dailies the formation of the Indian Mathematical SocietyIndian Mathematical Society
Indian Mathematical Society is the oldest organization in India devoted to the promotion of study and research in mathematics. The Society was founded in April 1907 by V. Ramaswamy Aiyer with its head-quarters at Pune. The Society started its activities under the name Analytic Club and the name...
, with 20 members. Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
was chosen as the headquarters of the Society and Ramaswamy Aiyer acted as its Secretary till 1910. As Secretary, he started the Society's Journal and established its library. Ramaswamy Aiyer left the Society's Committee in 1910, but continued to actively participate in its activities. He was appointed President of the Society in 1926, and held that position until 1930.
Patronage of Srinivasa Ramanujan
When Ramaswami Aiyer was Deputy Collector in Tirtukkoilur in 1910, Srinivasa RamanujanSrinivasa Ramanujan
Srīnivāsa Aiyangār Rāmānujan FRS, better known as Srinivasa Iyengar Ramanujan was a Indian mathematician and autodidact who, with almost no formal training in pure mathematics, made extraordinary contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series and continued fractions...
sought his patronage
Patronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
and asked to be appointed as a clerk in his office. Ramanujan's only recommendation was his mathematical notebooks, which are preserved in the Madras University Library. On examining the contents of the notebooks, Ramaswami Aiyer was struck by the extraordinary results recorded in them, and recommended Ramanujan to his mathematical friends in Madras. He also helped to publish Ramanujan's early work in the Journal of Indian Mathematical Society.