Indian Mathematical Society

Indian Mathematical Society
Name	Indian Mathematical Society
Formation	1907
Founder	S. R. Ranganathan
Headquarters	Pune
Fields	Mathematics
Language	English language

Contents

Indian Mathematical Society The Indian Mathematical Society is a learned society dedicated to the promotion and development of mathematics in the Indian subcontinent and beyond. It serves as a platform connecting scholars from institutions such as University of Calcutta, University of Madras, University of Mumbai, Indian Institute of Science, and Indian Institute of Technology Bombay with international bodies like the London Mathematical Society, American Mathematical Society, and International Mathematical Union. Its activities span research, publications, conferences, and educational outreach connecting figures associated with Ramanujan, C. R. Rao, Harish-Chandra, S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, and Manindra Agrawal.

History

The society traces origins to early 20th-century initiatives in cities such as Pune, Poona, Delhi, Madras, and Calcutta when mathematicians inspired by contemporaries like J. J. Sylvester, G. H. Hardy, Srinivasa Ramanujan, D. D. Kosambi, and R. C. Bose sought institutional organization. Early meetings involved academics from University of Mysore, Banaras Hindu University, University of Allahabad, and Patna University with participation by researchers who later joined faculties at Cambridge University, Trinity College, Cambridge, Princeton University, and Harvard University. Over decades the society adapted through events linked to national milestones such as the Indian Independence Movement and policy developments involving bodies like the University Grants Commission and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

Governance follows a structure of office-bearers including a President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer drawn from universities and institutes like IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IISc Bangalore, and TIFR. An elected council includes representatives from regional sections in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad and liaises with academic committees connected to institutes such as Jawaharlal Nehru University and University of Delhi. Statutes and by-laws align with practices observed in organizations like the Royal Society and the Académie des Sciences, while collaborations have been forged with international academies including the National Academy of Sciences, India and the Indian National Science Academy.

Membership categories have encompassed Life Members, Annual Members, and Student Members drawn from cohorts at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, Presidency College, Chennai, Banaras Hindu University, and research schools at ISI Kolkata and IISER Pune. Regular meetings include an annual conference, regional symposia, and special sessions coordinated with landmark events such as the International Congress of Mathematicians and national programs by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and National Council of Educational Research and Training. The society’s meetings historically hosted plenary lectures by mathematicians affiliated with University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Chicago, University of California, Berkeley, and Princeton.

The society issues a flagship journal, bulletin, and monograph series attracting submissions from scholars associated with Trinity College, Cambridge, St. Petersburg State University, ETH Zurich, École Normale Supérieure, and University of Bonn. Its periodicals have covered research areas influenced by the work of Srinivasa Ramanujan, D. R. Kaprekar, S. Chandrasekhar, K. R. Parthasarathy, and M. S. Narasimhan. Libraries at institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, University of Madras, IISc Bangalore, and Calcutta University hold extensive runs of these publications, which have been cited in works published by Springer, Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Elsevier.

The society confers medals, prizes, and lectureships named after eminent figures connected to its history and Indian mathematics including epithets honoring Ramanujan, P. C. Mahalanobis, S. N. Bose, Homi J. Bhabha, and C. R. Rao. Recipients have included scholars from IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, and international researchers from École Polytechnique, University of Paris, and Imperial College London. Awards are presented at annual symposia alongside named lectures similar in stature to honors given by the Royal Society and the Wolf Foundation.

Outreach programs target students and teachers at schools and colleges such as St. Joseph's College, Bangalore, Maharaja's College, Ernakulam, and Loyola College, Chennai through workshops, problem-solving camps, and lecture series inspired by problem traditions tied to Ramanujan and combinatorial work of P. C. Mahalanobis and S. S. Shrikhande. The society partners with national initiatives like Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana, Mathematics Olympiad programs, and institutions such as Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration to promote mathematical training, teacher development, and publication of problem books circulated among university departments at University of Pune, University of Madras, and University of Calcutta.

Category:Mathematical societies Category:Learned societies of India