LITTLEHAILES
TO DEWSBURY
FIRST
RESEARCH STUDENT IN MATHEMATICS
The
Observatory,
Nungambakkam,
Madras,
29-1-1914.
Nungambakkam,
Madras,
29-1-1914.
I
venture to request that you will be so good as to place before the Syndicate
of this University a request that I have to make regarding Ramanujan,
at present research student in Mathematics.
It is that he be granted by this University a scholarship of about £
250 (sterling) together with a grant of about £ 100 in order to
enable him to proceed to Cambridge.
Ramanujan
is a man of most remarkable mathematical ability, amounting I might say
to genius, whose light is metaphorically hidden under a bushel in Madras.
He
has, I understand, passed the Matriculation Examination from the High
School, Kumbakonam, but after beginning his Intermediate College course,
he fell ill and did nothing for a couple of years. Subsequently he obtained
an appointment as a clerk in the Office of the Madras Port Trust and
was last year granted a Research Studentship in Mathematics.
He
is now 26 years of age and has for the last 10 years made the study of
Mathematics his special hobby, though he has had access to no memoirs
or modern mathematical treatises until comparatively recently when he
came to Madras. He has, nevertheless, developed his subject to such a
remarkable degree as to leave no trace of doubt that he has most exceptional
mathematical genius and for this reason it is considered most desirable
that he should be granted the financial means which will enable him to
proceed to Cambridge where he will have ready access to modern mathematical
literature, advice and criticism which is not to be obtained in this country
and the privilege of absorbing and in turn reacting upon the mathematical
atmosphere for which Cambridge is so renowned. He has already formulated
theorems of a most comprehensive character dealing with some of these
patterns of mathematics that are on the boundaries of our present day
development and treatment of the subject and it is greatly to be desired
that he be given the opportunity of discussing his methods and results
with some of I the leading mathematicians of Europe and of having them
published in the leading mathematical periodicals. I have little or indeed
no hesitation in stating my opinion that if he continued in the future
to develop as he has done in the past and subjects his work and methods
to the test of modern mathematical criticism, then it will be only a matter
of a delay of two or three years before he will be called upon to fill
a chair of Mathematics at some university.
It
was formally suggested that Ramanujan should go to Cambridge but he was
unwilling to leave India, and it is only within the last fortnight that
he has been persuaded to agree to leave India. He has been in correspondence
with certain Cambridge Mathematicians of late, and Mr. Hardy, one of the
finest of the modern Cambridge school has only recently expressed his
keen disappointment at Ramanujan's refusal to leave India for Cambridge.
But now that he has been persuaded to put aside his prejudices against
travel, the University of Madras is afforded a unique opportunity for
the promotion of research by granting - if they can and will- such financial
aid as will enable Ramanujan to proceed to Cambridge.
I
It is probably necessary to mention that he is not overburdened with this
world's goods being but passing rich on Rs. 50 per mensem.
Mr.
Neville tells me that he has already forwarded to you a memo dealing with
Ramanujan; so it is unnecessary to state more than I have done. But in
this case there is any question likely to arise regarding his treatment
at Cambridge, I should say that we have it on Mr. Neville's authority
that Trinity College will do everything in their power to aid Ramanujan
and it is even possible - though we cannot at present reckon on it - that
they will subsequently give him some financial assistance.
I
therefore recommend that this University grant Ramanujan a scholarship
of the value of £ 250 per annum for one year, to be possibly extended
in whole or in part for a second year on receipt of a report from the
authorities of Trinity College, Cambridge, and in addition give him a
sum of £ 100 which will be necessary for his passage to England
and initial outfit.
Mr.
Neville, who leaves India on March 14th, would be willing to take him
to Cambridge provided a passage can be obtained in the same boat as that
in which he is travelling; but if that is not possible then he would like
Ramanujan to leave at the earliest possible date so that he may reach
England before the end of the May term.
I
trust that the Syndicate will be able to grant this scholarship which
promises to bring credit on this University as bring one of the foremost
in the promotion of research and advancement of knowledge.
I
am,
Yours sincerely,
Littlehailes.
Yours sincerely,
Littlehailes.