“Understanding the history of Mathematical creativity in medieval Kerala will give us confidence to fight intellectual colonialism and help us chart an independent path in modern science,” according to Dr. Jolly K. John, a researcher in History of Science and Visiting Fellow at the Inter University Centre for Social Science Research and Extension (IUCSSRE), Mahatma Gandhi University. He was delivering a special lecture on “Forgotten Past, Hidden Eminence: Mathematical Creativity in Medieval Kerala” organised by the IUCSSRE.
Dr. John, who had earlier worked with ISRO and the Indian National Science Academy, said that while European historians credit Newton and Leibnitz with the development of calculus, “Kerala mathematicians were 250 years ahead of them,” but they were seldom recognised in their own land. He said that “when Europe was still in darkness, and Arabic sciences were stagnating, Kerala became the world’s best centre of mathematical creativity. Madhava Sangama grama and his followers took decisive steps towards the development of ‘calculus’, the mainstay of modern mathematics. As such the Mathematicians of the Kerala school produced magnificent results in the medieval period which were yet to be reckoned in the history of science in the country, Dr John said. Pro Vice Chancellor Dr. C.T. Aravindakumar presided. Dr B. Ekbal, Prof Sebastian Vattamattom, Dr. Mathew Joseph and others spoke. The meeting also placed on record the condolences on the demise of Prof Thanu Padmanabhan, an eminent scientist of the country.
