Bangalore Srinivasarao Madhava Rao (29 May 1900 – 11 June 1987) was an Indian mathematician and physicist who served as a professor of mathematics at Central College, Bangalore. He worked on mathematical physics and collaborated with Max Born.

Portrait c. 1950

Biography edit

Rao was born in Chamrajnagar to B. Srinivasa Rao and Rajee Bai. He studied mathematics, receiving his bachelor's degree from Mysore University and obtained his master's degree (1921) and D.Sc (1938)[1][2] from University of Calcutta, the latter for his thesis on "Born's nonlinear field theory". He worked as Professor of Mathematics and later principal at Central college, Bangalore.[3] Between 1955 and 1960 he was a Professor of Ballistics, Institute of Armament Technology, Pune[4] and from 1960 to 1965 he was Professor of Applied mathematics at the University of Pune.[5][6]

His early work was on classical algebraic geometry and analytical dynamics. Under the influence of Max Born and in collaboration with C. V. Raman and Homi J. Bhabha, Madhava Rao entered the mainstream of theoretical physics. To deal with the divergence problem in field theory, Born had introduced a nonlinear theory which received much attention as a model theory. Madhava Rao wrote eight research papers and his doctoral thesis on this work.[7][8][9] He was also keenly interested in recreational mathematics and was working on a book on magic squares towards the end of his life.[10]

Madhava Rao, Thiruvenkatachar, and Venkatachala Aiyengar discussed some aspects of non-commutative algebras. B. S. Madhava Rao investigated algebra of elementary particles.[11]

Personal life edit

He was married to Subhadra Bai. Madhava Rao took a keen interest in sports and was a life member of the National Sports Club of India.[10] He died on 11 June 1987.[1]

Awards and honours edit

  • Srinivasa Ramanujan Prize (University of Madras) (1945) - Contributions to Algebra Related to Elementary Particles of Nature.[12]
  • Fellow, Indian National Science Academy and Fellow, Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore[13]
  • Life Member (President, 1959–61), Indian Mathematical Society and Royal Astronomical Society.[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "45th Indian Science Congress 1958" (PDF).
  2. ^ "Genealogy of BS Madhava Rao". www.geni.com. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  3. ^ "REMINISCENCES OF A DEFENCE SCIENTIST – A QUEST FOR SELF-RELIANCE - V.Narayanarao" (PDF).
  4. ^ "aboutims". www.indianmathsociety.org.in. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  5. ^ "INSA". archive.is. 22 May 2015. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  6. ^ "The Coming of Age of Mathematics in India – Bhāvanā". bhavana.timc.org.in. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  7. ^ "January 1988 No.16 Newsletter of the Indian Academy of Sciences" (PDF).
  8. ^ Madhava Rao, B. S. (1936). "Complex representation in Born's field theory". Proceedings of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Section A. 4 (5): 575–589. doi:10.1007/BF03045716. ISSN 0370-0089. S2CID 198139686.
  9. ^ Rao, B. S. Madhava (1935). "Über die ein mechanisches System betreffenden Theoreme von Liouville und Stäckel". Zeitschrift für Physik (in German). 93 (5–6): 320–328. doi:10.1007/BF01330115. ISSN 1434-6001. S2CID 123033852.
  10. ^ a b Sudarshan, E.C. George (1988). "A Tribute" (PDF). Patrika. Newsletter of the Indian Academy of Sciences (16).
  11. ^ "Culture Heritage of India. Vol. VI [Science and Technology] (598p)" (PDF).
  12. ^ B Krishnayya. Ramanujan The Man And The Mathematician 1967.
  13. ^ Deceased Fellows

External links edit