A HUMAN COMPUTER

                               Shakuntala Devi

 Who was Shakuntala Devi?

     Shakuntala Devi was born on 4th November 1929 in Bangalore, Karnataka. She had unparalleled talent in calculating complex mathematical numbers. She proved her exceptional talent in arithmetic through her math shows worldwide at a very tender age.

     Her excellent skill has brought her a renowned name as “Human-Computer.” Shakuntala Devi was also an author and showcased her wisdom through books on astrology, puzzles, and mathematics.

     She made our country proud by securing a place in “The Guinness Book of World Records” for her intellectual mathematical talent. Also a motivational speaker who enlightened the lives of many individuals towards mathematics.

     In 1960, she married Paritosh Banerjee and was blessed with a daughter. Internationally acclaimed mathematician Shakuntala Devi was genuinely a wonder on earth whose life journey needs to be known by students and parents.

Why is Shakuntala Devi famous?

     Most of the time, people were astonished by Devi’s mathematical excellence. People were always thinking about how Shakuntala Devi calculates such huge numbers randomly assigned to her in an instant. She was an extraordinary human with impeccable calculating skills that brought her the title “Human-Computer.”

     On 18th June, 1980 at Imperial College London she demonstrated multiplication of two complex 13-digit numbers such as 7,686,369,774,870 x  2,465,099,745,779.

     Those numbers were given randomly, and Devi answered it as 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730 in just 28 seconds, it has brought her worldly fame. She never used any paper or pen to calculate the numbers; it was her mental ability to determine the right answer in her mind.

     All of these outstanding accomplishments were achieved without taking any higher degree of education. Her talent for arithmetic calculation made her famous, and she deserved the magnificent titles given for her talents.

     Devi had an immense passion for numbers, and that extended her interest in astrology too. Her strength of numbers was applied to the pursuit of astrological knowledge. She even impressed many with her astrology predictions about them. Devi has also expressed her passion for writing through books, which made her author of diverse genres.

     Her perseverance in aspiring to be famous emerged when she acknowledged her rare supreme talents and utilized them for good. Her presence was an honor to the country, and she will always be remembered as one of the great mathematician.

Awards and Achievements of Shakuntala Devi

     The authenticity of Shakuntala Devi’s talents gained her many awards and achievements. One of the well-known titles that capped her talent is “Human-Computer.” She outperformed the most sophisticated computers at the time and mesmerised people with her mathematical capabilities.

     In 1980, Devi’s successful attempt to multiply two random 13-digits in 28 seconds was recorded for the year 1982 of The Guinness Book of World Records.

One of her talents include her writings such as:

•      Figuring: The Joy of the Numbers, More puzzles to Puzzle You, In The Wonderland of Numbers, The Book of Numbers, Awaken Genius in Your Child, Super Memory - It Can be Yours, Perfect Murder, Astrology For You, System of Education, Rural Credits and Agriculture Development, Caste System in India, Women’s Status and Social Change.

     Devi has written books on mathematical calculations, memory power, social issues, puzzles, and mysteries. A few books written by Devi have the tricks and tips to improve mathematical ability and enhance memory.

     She has also written books related to social issues that are inspiring and educational. Devi has added fun into Maths and explained it as the most easy-going concepts to learn. It has inspired many students to take forward their mathematical abilities. 

The early life of the mathematical prodigy

    Shakuntala Devi’s parents lived in Bangalore and belonged to a Kannada Brahmins community. At the tender age of 3, Devi’s father, Mr. Sudhararaja Rao, discovered her mathematical talent during a card trick. Later, he has also taken Devi for roadshows to demonstrate her mathematical skills in schools and colleges.

     At the age of 6, Devi has performed her arithmetic skills at the University of Mysore. She has achieved all these without any formal education. Thus, her tours to different parts of the world began and made her a world-famous Indian mathematician.

     People who attended her shows would randomly ask her numbers to calculate or find the day with the date provided. Her answers were always perfect and faster than they would expect. Many people at the top universities wondered, “How Shakuntala Devi Calculates?”.

 

     Devi’s greatest passion for calculating complex numbers has taken her to many unique places around the globe. She demonstrated her arithmetic abilities before many students and motivated young minds to discover mathematics’s beauty and simplicity.

Interesting Facts about the mathematical prodigy

     Devi did not like the title of Human-Computer given to her. She stated that the human brain’s ability is far greater than a computer and should never compare both.

     In the year 1980, she contested in the election for the parliament seat in two different localities against Indira Gandhi and lost. Devi has been a respected personal astrologer to many politicians, movie stars, and business personnel.

A movie titled “Shakuntala Devi” has been created based on her life. Released in the year 2020, it showcased the life of Shakuntala Devi and captured her indomitable spirit. 

When did Shakuntala Devi die?

     Shakuntala Devi’s demise has been a massive loss to the field of mathematics in India. The fantastic journey of mathematical prowess, respected astrologer, inspirational author, and an honourable individual ended on 21st April 2013.

     She passed away due to cardiac and respiratory failure. Before that, she also had kidney and heart complications. People will always remember her spell bound calculations and inspirational spirit.

SUCCESS STORY OF MOON EXPLORATION BY ISRO

 Chandrayaan 3

     Indians across the world are happy and proud because Chandrayaan 3, India's moon mission accomplished a successful lunar landing on August 23, 2023. The mission commenced its voyage on July 14, 2023, from space centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

     Before this mission, India had two other moon missions: Chandrayaan 1 in 2008 and Chandrayaan 2 in 2019. Chandrayaan 1 did some tests on the Moon before loosing contact, and Chandrayaan 2 tried to land softly but failed. Nevertheless, Chandrayaan 3 learned from these missions and landed softly.

     Chandrayaan 3 is India's third moon mission. It has a lander named Vikram (named in honour of Dr. Vikram A Sarabhai, regarded as the Father of the Indian Space Programme) and was launched using a big rocket called GSLV Mark 3, also known as the 'Bahubali Rocket'. Unlike Chandrayaan 2, it didn't have a satellite going around the Moon. ISRO made changes based on what they learned from their previous mission.

     The Chandrayaan 3 rover explored the Moon's South Pole, making a significant discovery of Sulphur. Additionally, it identified the presence of Aluminium, Calcium, Iron, Chromium and Titanium on the lunar surface. The rover Pragyan, which means 'wisdom' in Sanskrit, is a solar-powered vehicle with six wheels and aimed at exploring the less-known South Pole of the Moon for sources of ice, potentially usable drinking water or rocket fuel which could be useful for future astronauts who visit the Moon.

     The mission cost about $75 million, which is less than making a Hollywood space-themed movie. Chandrayaan 3 garnered significant interest because it landed successfully just after Russia's Luna-25, who had difficulties in the same area. This success shows that India is improving at exploring space and learning more about the Moon. It serves as a reminder that when people work hard and use their creativity, intelligence and knowledge, they can achieve amazing results. Chandrayaan 3's journey inspires us to keep exploring the mysteries of space.

Some amazing facts of the Chandrayaan - 3 mission:

🌓 India became the fourth country to safely land on the Moon's surface and first nation in the world to land on the Moon's South Pole.

🌓 The landing site of Chandrayaan 3 has been officially named the Shiv Shakti Point. It is about 600 km (370 miles) from the south pole of the Moon. The name was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 26th August 2023.

🌓 Besides announcing the landing point for Chandrayaan 3 on 26th August 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared Chandrayaan 2's crash site as the Tiranga Point.

🌓 The Vikram Lander used in Chandrayaan 3 was equipped with four scientific instruments.

1) A seismometer designed to detect moonquakes.

2) Another instrument focused on studying heat transmission through the lunar surface.

3) The third aimed at understanding the plasma environment around the moon, and

4) The fourth one is retro-reflector, which helped to understand the gravitational interaction between moon and the planets.

     The Chandrayaan 3 was designed to survive one Lunar day or 14 Earth days. The rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into sleep mode.

     According to reports, Pragyan's batteries were fully charged and the receiver kept on. The solar panels were oriented so that they would receive sunlight when dawn broke on the moon.

     However, despite several tries, the rover and the lander did not wake up. There was no signal from Chandrayaan 3. The sun rose again on the moon on 20 September. The first three days – until 22 September – would have been the best window for the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover to revive. But Vikram and Pragyan failed to respond but the task is accomplished and mission was a grand success!

DO YOU KNOW

 Why scientists experiment on mice?

     Most of us have watched cartoon Tom and Jerry. The mice have not just been used for entertainment but they have helped us in science also. Mice have a long history in medical research. In fact, they were the first mammalian species specifically domesticated to be used in laboratories. So why has this species been used for lab research? The reason behind this can be grouped into three categories:

1) Commercial reasons: Mice are relatively inexpensive and can be brought in large quantities from commercial producers. The cost of raising mice includes housing, food, time for maturing, reproduction etc. The mice are extremely cheap to be raised due to their small sizes.

2) Administrative reasons: Mice are small, easily housed and maintained, and adaptable to new surroundings. They also reproduce quickly and have a short life span of 2 - 3 years. So, several generations of mice can be observed in a relatively short period of time. These rodents are also generally mild-tempered and docile, making them easy for researchers to handle. The administrative protocols on mice are minimal when compared to other vertebrates.

3) Scientific reasons: Mice are biologically very similar to humans. They can be a good model for humans because of great similarities in the brain structure and functioning. They eat similar food, live around the same places and they even get many similar diseases to humans --- obesity and diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and neurological diseases just being few of them. Most of the mice used in medical trials are inbred or indigenous such that they are almost identical genetically, producing uniform results.

     So, the next time when you are taking some medicine, take a minute to thank mice for it.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT

 The White House

     Let's explore some facts about the White House, the historic residence and workplace of the President of the United States of America, symbolising American leadership and democracy.

1. Situated in the capital city of Washington, DC, the White House serves as the designated residence and workplace for the President of the United States.

2. The White House is made of white-painted sandstone, which gives it its distinctive appearance.

3. It has been the home of every US President since John Adams in 1800, except for George Washington, who never lived there.

4. The White House has a private movie theatre, bowling alley, and tennis court for the President and their family to enjoy.

5. The White House has a resident ghostly legend! It is believed that the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President, haunts the buiding.

6. The White House has hosted some unique and unusual pets. President John Quincy Adams had an alligator that lived in the East Room bathroom. President Theodore Roosevelt had a small menagerie that included a snake, a bear, and a badger. President Woodrow Wilson had a flock of sheep to graze on the White House lawn during World War I, to save on mowing costs.

7. The white house has an Easter Egg Roll tradition. Every year, on the Monday following Easter Sunday, the White House hosts the Easter Egg Roll on its South Lawn. Children from across the country participate in egg-rolling races and enjoy various entertainment activities.

8. The White House has a secret underground tunnel system. These tunnels connect various buildings in the White House complex, allowing for secure movement of the President and staff between locations.

9. The White House has a room called the 'Lincoln Bedroom', named after President Abraham Lincoln. This room is known for its historical significance. It has been used as a guest room for visiting dignitaries and special guests.

10. The White House has its own music series called 'In Performance at the White House'. It is a concert series that highlights diverse musical performances and has featured renowned artists and musicians from various genres.

AN INSPIRING ANECDOTE FROM THE LIFE OF

King Bharat

     According to our ancient scriptures, three strong fetters of mind, keep the immortal soul (Atma), in perpetual bondage with this transitory world. They are: i) progeny, ii) wealth and iii) name-fame and recognition. Of these, the desire for name and fame is the subtlest, predominant and hard to get over.

    There is an inspiring anecdote in the annals of Jain history. Bharat, the first sovereign emperor of India, whose name this country bears, having conquered all the kingdoms of the sub-continent, finally reached Rishabhkoot mountain to hoist his victory flag and inscribe on victory pillar --- his name, bio-data and a brief description of this remarkable event. Thereby he wanted to satisfy his desire for name and immortalise his glory and fame.

     After reaching there, he looked around and found that there were already inscribed thousands of names of prominent peoples of yore, and there was no space left even to chisel a few letters of his own name, not to speak of the narration of his glorious achievements. 

     He thought --- why not erase someone's name engraved in its place? At his command, it was done so. 

     But no sooner than the task was completed, a ray of conscience flashed in his heart. The emperor thought, "Today I have erased someone's name, but tomorrow someone else may come and erase my name too. This is how, it is all merely a play of ego. The egoism in the form of desire to immortalise one's name, keeps people behaving in various strange ways. Nobody's name can remain immortal and indelible on the vast canvas of time and space."

     Thus, the desire for name and fame vanished forever from the heart and soul of the monarch.

HISTORY OF ONE OF THE OLDEST ARTS

 Pottery

     When humans had started to express their feelings, they did this through cave paintings and tally sticks. Evolution of modern human began with the formation of small groups and associated culture. Although very primitive in nature, they started exchanging between different groups. At that time, more sophistication came in their living. Pottery came in daily use for cooking and storage purpose. Survived for thousands of years, it is the most significant archeological evidence to study the development of human being.

     Earliest evidences of pottery vessels came from China (dated back to 18,000 BC), Russian far East (14,000 BC) and Japan (10,500 BC). Our ancestors started exploring and using the available resources nearby their settlements to make their lives easier. Pottery is a classical example of this. Clay was normally available and it was used to craft the vessels for storage. Two basic characteristics of clay made it useful in vessel preparation --- one, it can be molded and second, it can be hardened. When pit-firing was invented (around 29000 - 25000 BCE), the technique was used by the earliest humans to heat the vessels of clay and make the pit fired pottery.

     It is somewhat debatable as when the first use of pottery started in Indian subcontinent. The earliest evidence of pottery can be found in some early settlements at Lahuradewa in Uttar Pradesh, Sothi-Siswal sites and Indus Valley Civilisation.

     As the time advanced, potter's wheel got invented in Mesopotamia sometime between 6,000 and 4,000 BC. This invention revolutionized the way the potteries were made. Now-a-days more modern techniques have evolved and pottery art has spread across the world. In India, it has become a culture. You can now see different types of ceramic pottery with a glaze, painting and beautiful decorations. But credit for all this goes to that person, he or she, who never wrote his or her name on the first vessel made.

THE STORY OF A FARMER

Bad news, good news, who knows?

 

    A long time ago, there was a wise farmer. Every day, the farmer couldn't have cared for his crops and animals without the help of his faithful horse. 

     However, the horse managed to get away one day. Everyone in the community came to offer their sympathies. 

     "What bad news!" 

     But the farmer just shrugged and muttered, "Bad news. Good news. Who knows?"

     The locals did not know what they should think of him, but they decided to ignore him. 

     A few days later, while working outside in the afternoon, the farmer spotted his horse again. However, his horse wasn't alone. In fact that horse was the part of the herd. This resulted in farmer's acquisition of four more horses. Everyone in the town came by to express their complement to the farmer. "Wow, that's good news!"

     "Bad news. Good news. Who knows?" the farmer said.

     After a few weeks, the farmer's son came to visit and join in with the farm chores. The farmer's son fractured his leg while trying to tame one of the horses. The neighbours came by to offer their sympathies and say things like, "How horrible! What a shocking thing to happen! What bad news!" 

     Once again the farmer responded, "Bad news. Good news. Who knows?" 

     The farmer's sick son didn't get better even after a month. Because of his disability, he could not help his father in the field. 

     Suddenly, war broke out with a neighbouring country. The army stormed the town and enlisted every man of fighting age. The soldiers passed by the injured farmer's son lying on the floor and just left him there.

     Every resident of the town saw and said, "Wow! This is a miraculous stroke of luck. Wow, this is really a good news!"

     You already know now how the farmer must have responded.