B S Madhava Rao Papers

The intellectual arrangement strives to preserve provenance and original order of the papers. Where an original order could not be found, the Archives has applied an order, and folders within sub-series are arranged usually in chronological or alphabetical order.

The Collection is arranged into the following series:

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.

The correspondence sub-series has been divided decade-wise; within each sub-series the letters are arranged alphabetically. Some of the correspondence is related to recommendation letters created for Rao’s former students.

Scientific research and administration contains published papers written by B S Madhava Rao. These works illuminate early investigations in physics and mathematics that Rao was undertaking. It also contains Rao’s work on Born’s field theory which was submitted as a thesis, as well as drafts of his research into magic squares. Several question papers made by Madhava Rao for institutions are also part of this series.

Notes and notebooks are research notes, excerpted notes and exercise notes on mathematics. A large portion of these notes is devoted to recreational mathematics, specifically magic squares. Madhava Rao had 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. It also consists of handwritten notes for lectures. The notebooks contain detailed notes and references on mathematical concepts.

Talks and writings comprises handwritten notes and manuscripts of addresses and talks as well as published non-academic writings by Madhava Rao. These are in the form of printed and handwritten addresses given at science-related events and public programmes.

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.

The personal material contains awards, biographical material related to Rao such as copies of newspaper articles on Madhava Rao, tributes made to him etc. Madhava Rao was an avid sports fan, and has a few newspaper articles on sporting glories along with other media-clippings on science. Invitations and programme details of conferences and annual meetings of scientific organisations are also included.

Another part of the accession is 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. They also include studio-portraits that were taken with his friends, colleagues and peers.