Notable Modern Indian Mathematicians and Statisticians : During the 19th and 20th Centuries of Bengal

This book provides a comprehensive portrayal of the history of Indian mathematicians and statisticians and uncovers many missing parts of the scientific representation of mathematical and statistical research during the 19th and 20th centuries of Bengal (now West Bengal), India. This book gives a brief historical account about the establishment of the first-two departments in an Indian university, where graduate teaching and research were initiated. This was a unique distinction for the University of Calcutta which was established in 1857. The creation of the world famous Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Calcutta (now Kolkata) is also briefly described. The lives and works of the 16 pioneer mathematical scientists who adorned the above mentioned institutions and the first Indian Institute Technology (IIT) of India have been elaborated in lucid language. Some outstanding scholars who were trained at the ISI but left India permanently have also been discussed briefly in a separate chapter. 

This book fulfils a long-standing gap in the history of modern Indian mathematics, which will make the book very useful to researchers in the history of science and mathematics. Written in very lucid English with little mathematical or statistical jargon makes the book immensely readable even to general readers with interest in scientific history even from non-mathematical, non-statistical background. This book is a clear portrayal of the struggle and success of researchers in mathematical sciences in Bengal (an important part of the colonial India), unveils before the international community of mathematical scientists. The real connoisseurs will appreciate the value of the book, as it will clear up many prevailing misconceptions.

PURABI MUKHERJI has been Counsellor in Mathematics at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Regional Centre, Kolkata, India, since 1994. Earlier, she served in the Department of Mathematics at the Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College, Kolkata, from 1994 to 2014. Dr Mukherji earned her PhD in applied mathematics from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, in 1987. She received two national “Best Paper Awards” for her work on “Mathematical Modelling” in geophysics, awarded by the Indian Society for Earthquake Technology of the University of Roorkee. Since 2010, she has been pursuing research in the field of history of science and has successfully completed two projects funded by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), New Delhi.

She has published more than 40 research papers in reputed national and international journals and more than 20 scientific articles in Bengali popular scientific magazines. She authored a book titled History of the Calcutta School of Physical Sciences (Springer Nature, 2018), Research Schools on Number Theory in India: During the 20th Century (Springer Nature, 2020-2021), and Pioneer Mathematicians of Calcutta University (University of Calcutta, 2014). Dr Mukherji is a life member of the Indian Science Congress Association, Calcutta Mathematical Society, Indian Society of History of Mathematics, Indian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Indian Society of Nonlinear Analysts, and many others. She is also on the editorial board of the journal Indian Science Cruiser being published by the Institute of Science, Education and Culture, Kolkata.