House where math whiz was born identified

The house at Azhagiya Singar street in Erode where Srinivasa Ramanujan was born. /  Photo: M. Govarthan / The Hindu

The Erode Corporation on Wednesday expressed its desire to convert into a mathematics museum the house where Srinivasa Ramanujan was born. The Corporation passed a resolution to this effect, moved by Mayor Mallika Paramasivam. A proposal to convert the house on Azhagiya Singar Street into a museum will be submitted to the State government.

Though it was known that Erode was the birthplace of the maths genius, the house where he was born remained untraceable until recently. It was located following the efforts made by Susumu Sakurai, professor and head, Department of Math, Tokyo University of Science and Technology, and Professor and President of Tamil Nadu Science Forum N. Mani.

“We had the information that Ramanujan was born in a house that was situated exactly between a Siva temple and its water tank. After extensive search, we found it and confirmed that Ramanujan was born in the house that had the door number 18 in Azhagiya Singar Street,” Mr. Mani said.

The house will be a huge inspiration to children if it is converted into a museum. “It should not be neglected. We should celebrate the math genius by making his birthplace a museum. We already adopted a resolution demanding the State government to convert the house into a museum. It is good to know that the civic body has now come forward to convert it into museum,” Mr. Mani told The Hindu.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Home> News> National> TamilNadu / by Staff Reporter / Erode, March 28th, 2013