PDF Bulletin of Mathematical Association of India Download
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- Category : Mathematics
- Languages : en
- Pages : 162
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This book provides a comprehensive portrayal of the history of Indian mathematicians and statisticians and uncovers many missing parts of the scientific representation of mathematical and statistical research during the 19th and 20th centuries of Bengal (now West Bengal), India. This book gives a brief historical account about the establishment of the first-two departments in an Indian university, where graduate teaching and research were initiated. This was a unique distinction for the University of Calcutta which was established in 1857. The creation of the world famous Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Calcutta (now Kolkata) is also briefly described. The lives and works of the 16 pioneer mathematical scientists who adorned the above mentioned institutions and the first Indian Institute Technology (IIT) of India have been elaborated in lucid language. Some outstanding scholars who were trained at the ISI but left India permanently have also been discussed briefly in a separate chapter. This book fulfils a long-standing gap in the history of modern Indian mathematics, which will make the book very useful to researchers in the history of science and mathematics. Written in very lucid English with little mathematical or statistical jargon makes the book immensely readable even to general readers with interest in scientific history even from non-mathematical, non-statistical background. This book is a clear portrayal of the struggle and success of researchers in mathematical sciences in Bengal (an important part of the colonial India), unveils before the international community of mathematical scientists. The real connoisseurs will appreciate the value of the book, as it will clear up many prevailing misconceptions.
The book presents the history of ICMI trough a prosopographical approach. In other words, it pays a lot of attention to the actors of the International movement. The portraits of the members of the ICMI Central Committees (1908-1936) and ICMI Executive Committees (1952-2008), and other eminent figures in ICMI history, who have passed away in the first 100 years of its life, are the guiding thread of the volume. Each portrait includes: · Biographical information · An outline of the various contributions made by the individual in question to the study of problems pertaining to mathematics teaching/education · Primary bibliography · Secondary with particular attention to the publications concerning the teaching of mathematics · Images: photos, book frontispieces, relevant manuscripts The authors of the portraits (30 altogether) are researchers in the history of mathematics, mathematics, and mathematics education. The focus on the officer’s role within ICMI and on his/her contributions to mathematics education, make the portraits different from usual biographies. In particular, since most officers were active mathematicians, the portraits shed light on aspects of their lesser-known activity. Connecting chapters place the action of these figures in the historical context and in the different phases of ICMI history.