Societies need myths to live by, and a mathematical genius failing in an exam is precisely the kind of myth that makes life alluring
How did Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920), the mathematical genius, fare
in his Intermediate examinations? Did he fail in mathematics? Or did he
score a centum? Conflicting assertions float. Myths hover around
geniuses and lend them an aura, and Ramanujan is no exception.
Interestingly, the myth originated even during the mathematician’s lifetime. The Madras Times
of April 6, 1919,published a profile titled ‘A Famous Madras
Mathematician: Mr. S. Ramanujan, FRS’ on the occasion of his return to
India from Cambridge. This contemporary sketch, notes for which the
paper claimed were “chiefly collected from papers in the possession of
the Madras Port Trust,” Ramanujan’s employer, stated that “In December
1907 … he appeared privately for the First Arts Examination and had the
distinction of failing in all subjects, doubtless as a result of his illness.” (original emphasis)
Read the full story from the "The Hindu" article here.
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