C. K. Raju

C. K. Raju holds a masters in mathematics from Mumbai, followed by a PhD from the Indian Statistical Institute. He taught mathematics for several years at Pune University before moving on to help build India's first parallel supercomputer, Param. After a fellowship at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, and the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, he resumed university teaching, and is currently a Distinguished Professor. He has proposed many radical new ideas related to time, quantum mechanics, quantum computing and the history and philosophy of mathematics, and calculus. He has written critically acclaimed books on physics (Time: Towards a Consistent Theory, Kluwer, 1994), history and philosophy of mathematics (Cultural Foundations of Mathematics, Pearson Longman, 2007), on time at the interface of science, religion and ethics (The Eleven Pictures of Time, Sage, 2003), and on the history of science (Is Science Western in Origin?, Multiversity and Citizens International, Penang, 2009). For a full list of his books, see http://ckraju.net. He straddles various fields, and was an editor of the Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research and curently advices other scholarly journals. He has also built computer software for industrial and educational use. Volume 5 of his collected papers contains his scholarly articles on mathematics and religion. In his "5-day course on calculus", he has demonstrated that mathematics can be made very easy by eliminating the post-Crusade theology in it. Watch out for more of his forthcoming books, especially "Euclid and Jesus".

Some Reviews

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Time: Towards a Consistent Theory, (Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 1994)

"an important contribution...authoritative and written with impeccable

clarity....an excellent book and I highly recommend it."

G. J. Klir

Int. J. General Systems, 27 (1999) pp. 427-28.

"Raju's treatment of the subject is comprehensive....The bare concept

that I have just summarised is exploited with subtlety and elegance by Raju....Raju writes with ease and deft wit...The book is too rich and robust to admit a simple, comprehensive synopsis....an important

book that you will certainly want to read".

J. F. Woodward

Foundations of Physics 26 (1996) pp. 1725-30.

"The powerful literary style on the one hand, and a firm control on the

mathematical language of quantum logic...form a rare blend of

complementary qualities not often noticeable in a serious treatise on a physical subject. Altogether it is a delightful book with a high degree of intuitive appeal.

A. N. Mitra

The Eleven Pictures of Time, (Sage, 2003)}

"..._magnificent_, a true _magnum opus_....a tremendously important piece of work....This, in my view, is a _truly revolutionary_ book (not merely an excellent book....)

Arun Ghosh

"With masterly command of primary sources and a delightful sense of wit and humour, C. K. Raju traces the history of the notions of time.... Is scientific theory then 'context' and value free, is the key question which is asked by a scientist with rare courage and boldness.... Perhaps never before have these dimensions been brought to the fore with such incisive sharpness. Brilliant, thought provoking and singular..."

Kapila Vatsyayana

Sandhan, 4(2) (2004) pp. 179-85.

"This is a book with a difference, and the difference will excite some

readers, as it did me, and infuriate many others. Central to Raju's perspective is the obvious yet neglected idea that the notion of time is fundamental to both religion and science, each of which has influenced the other....I want to compliment and thank C.K.Raju for what he has done in this important book. Future debate ought begin here."

Don Miller

Time and Society, London, 13(2), 2004, pp. 405-07.

Cultural Foundations of Mathematics (Pearson Longman, 2007)

"I enjoyed very much the book....proof in the western mathematical tradition is dealt with remarkable originality by C. K. Raju.... a treatment which is both didactical and rigorous. I have no hesitation at all in placing this book among the best treatments of the history

and philosophy of mathematics."

Ubiratan D'Ambrosio

"It has been common understanding that mathematical proof based on

deduction is universal and is the ultimate proof and also that

mathematical truths are eternal universal truths. C K Raju argues

that this is a narrow European view of mathematics and the Indian view

was very different and empirical. Thus he has raised the important

issue of cultural foundation of mathematics."

Ghadar Jari Hai, 2(1) (2007) pp. 26-29

"commendable effort...an essential reference book."

K. Srinivasa Rao

The Hindu, 12 Feb 2008

"This book brings new facts on the history of mathematics and science that if carried to its logical conclusions should transform our Eurocentric perceptions. The author C.K. Raju comes to this task with an impeccable hands-down knowledge of science and technology. He was a leading figure in the first supercomputer put together in India at a time when the US banned supercomputer exports to India....the implications...are truly revolutionary"

Susantha Goonatilake

Sandhan 7(1) (2008) pp. 181-85

Is Science Western in Origin? (Multiversity and Citizens International, Penang, 2009)

"Raju makes mincemeat of the received view of the Greek origins of science."

Vinay Lal

"an excellent monograph...by Prof. C K. Raju....though small in length, [it] is much larger in significance....It is highly learned in its contents"

Asghar Ali Engineer

Islam and Modern Age, Dec 2009

"C K Raju has been arguing passionately through several lectures and books.... He says what is taught as standard modern mathematics today, is based on theological positions taken by the Church after the Crusades."

Shivanand Kanavi

Ghadar Jari Hai, III (3&4), 2009, pp. 8-11.

"both path-breaking and definitive."

Martin Bernal