B S Madhava Rao Papers

Content Description

This accession consists of papers belonging to BS Madhava Rao. Bangalore Srinivasarao Madhava Rao was a mathematician and physicist who was a professor at, and later principal of, Central College, Bangalore. He wrote his PhD thesis on Max Born's non-linear field theory. He spent his early career working on problems in theoretical physics, collaborating with C V Raman and Homi J Bhabha. He was awarded the Ramanujan Prize of Madras University in 1965. Rao worked as Professor of Ballistics at Institute of Armament Technology (1955-60) and as Professor of Applied Mathematics at University of Pune (1960-65). He was a member and president (1959- 61) of the Indian Mathematical Society. In his later life, he published on recreational mathematics, and began working on a manuscript dealing with magic squares in Sanskrit mathematics. The Archives at NCBS had appraised and decided to retain published papers written by B S Madhava Rao. These works illuminate investigations into the theory of relativity and theory of elementary particles that had developed in the early 20th century. Another portion of the accession includes correspondence in the form of typed and hand-written letters. Institutional correspondence includes memoranda and official correspondence with institutions and collaborators in India and abroad. Includes a few recommendation letters for former students made by Madhava Rao. The research reference materials in the accession are included as they are relatively rare and hard to find, and pertain to a network of persons, mathematical societies and institutions connected to Madhava Rao. Madhava Rao has translated or made handwritten notes on the material he was referencing, these have been retained. Another part of the accession are photographs. These are official portraits like photographs of a batch of students or sports teams in Central College, that are included as loose or framed photographs. Includes photographs that were taken with his friends, colleagues and peers during conferences and meetings. Teaching and Administration materials consist of handwritten notes for lectures, printed and handwritten addresses given at scientific events and public programmes. Notebooks contain detailed notes and references on mathematical concepts. Several question papers made by Madhava Rao for institutions are also part of the material. Invitations and programme details of conferences and annual meetings of scientific organisations are also included. Writings comprises handwritten notes and manuscripts of papers as well as published papers written by Madhava Rao and colleagues in mathematics and theoretical physics. The personal material also contains awards, copies of newspaper articles on Madhava Rao, tributes made to him. Madhava Rao was an avid sports fan, and has a few newspaper articles on sporting glories. The final part of the accession are notebooks related to recreational mathematics. Madhava Rao devoted the final years of his life to researching and collecting material for a book on magic squares, developing the concepts in the final chapter of Narayana Pandita’s 14th century treatise on mathematics called Ganita Kaumudi.

Acquisition Type

Gift

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No

Access Restrictions

Restricted until processed.