Ramanujan

MY THOUGHTS

Reading Ramanujan was like reading the Priyanka Chopra of books — it did so many things and left me breathless! In addition to that, it weaved its magic on my family — it managed to make a 10-year-old, a 6-year-old, and an almost 40-year-old giggle, LOL, and fall in love with it. That is true skill. 

A historical fiction book about the Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, it looks at a time when Ramanujan was a 10- year-old, spending his days in the company of friends and family all while being obsessed with numbers. On his first day at his English medium middle school, he learns there is no Maths teacher. He is crushed and devastated. Very soon, there are substitute teachers who set up a series of Maths games for the boys to solve. Ramanujan and his friends — Pacha, Kitcha, Nachu, Jambu, and Saranga — work in teams and solve these problems as they pick up other valuable life lessons. 

Don’t even for a moment think that this book is a serious look at Ramanujan’s life. Author Arundhathi Venkatesh fills the pages with punny humour — both Tamil and English! She paints a vivid picture of just how obsessed young Ramanujan was with numbers, treating us to his repeated attempts at getting his friends to see the brilliance of prime numbers and math puzzles. While Ramanujan is at the center of the book, it is the supporting characters that will win your heart and have you cheering for them to succeed. Poonal-twirling, rote-learning Saranga, flower-eating Kitcha, nervous Nachu, and the doting mother Komalam — are all characters that will stay in your mind long after you are done reading Ramanujan. Priya Kuriyan’s illustrations bring the characters alive and make you believe in them a lot more.

This book is hilarious, makes Math cool and fun, teaches you about an important indian genius, paints a vivid picture of the culture and traditions of the time, and gives you an unforgettable book. How’s that for being an all-rounder? Buy it, today!