Vashishtha Narayan gained global recognition, with some suggesting that he even challenged Albert Einstein's renowned theories.
Vashishtha Narayan Singh belonging to a remote village in Bihar's Basantpur district, emerged as a brilliant mathematician in India's history. Born in 1942, he displayed exceptional talent by topping both BSc and MSc in consecutive years, marking the beginning of a promising academic journey. His remarkable aptitude led to collaborations with esteemed institutions such as NASA, IIT, and Berkeley, where he made significant contributions.
Despite his early success, Singh's path took an unexpected turn due to mental illness, altering his trajectory from a potential successor to Ramanujan into a 'could-have-been.'
Vashishtha Narayan gained global recognition, with some suggesting that he even challenged Albert Einstein's renowned theories. Stories abound of his involvement in crucial NASA calculations during a computer breakdown and his contributions to the Apollo missions aiming to land humans on the moon.
The son of a police constable, Singh's educational journey began at Netarhat School in Jharkhand and continued at Patna Science College, where his mathematical brilliance earned him special recognition. The college principal facilitated an accelerated education plan, leading him to earn his PhD in 1969.
Recognising his exceptional talent, Prof. John L. Kelly arranged for Singh to study in the US at the University of California, Berkeley. Following nearly a decade abroad, he returned to India, teaching at prestigious institutions like IIT Kanpur, TIFR Mumbai, and ISI Kolkata. However, his life took a tragic turn as schizophrenia afflicted him, resulting in personal and professional setbacks.
Suffering from schizophrenia, Singh faced numerous challenges, including the dissolution of his marriage in 1976 and institutionalisation in the mid-80s. Despite receiving treatment, he mysteriously disappeared during a train journey, only to be later found living destitute in his hometown.
Admitted to Nimhans Bengaluru and subsequently treated at IHBAS Delhi with the assistance of BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, Singh continued to struggle with his illness. Despite these challenges, he later returned to academia at BNMU Madhepura. However, the mathematical genius was unable to fulfill his potential and passed away at the age of 72 on November 14, 2019, posthumously receiving a Padma Shri award in recognition of his contributions.
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 "Maths genius Vashishtha Narayan Singh")
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