Patna: On the World Mathematics Day today, when contributions of great mathematicians are being honoured, we remember two such personalities from Bihar, Aryabhatta and Dr. Vashishtha Narayan Singh, who are known across the world for their talent. Among the two mathematicians, Dr. Vashishtha Narayan Singh was a person who had challenged Albert Einstein's theory and research on his work is still on.
Born in Basantpur in Bhojpur in 1942, Singh possessed strong mathematical skills since childhood. After completing his studies from Netarhat in 1998, he ranked first in higher secondary education in 1963. After this, he did BSc Honours in Mathematics from Patna University, where also he secured the first position. Patna University had to change its rules for Singh as he completed the three-year graduation course in just one year.
In 1965, he took admission in America's Berkeley University for further studies. In 1967, he became the director of Columbia University of Mathematics and in 1969, he wrote 'The Peace of Space Theory', where he challenged Einstein's 'Theory of Relativity'. He bagged his PhD degree on this theory.
Berkeley University awarded him the status of 'Genius of Genius'. Singh returned to India in 1971 and in 1972 he joined IIT Kanpur as mathematics professor. He got married in 1973 and was diagnosed with mental illness the next year. He was admitted at Ranchi Psychiatric Hospital for treatment, after which, his academic career started declining.
During his illness, Singh would be seen looking into garbage heaps and his acts used to make headlines. A famous cartoonist, Pawan Toon, had also made a satirical cartoon on him. Toon was known to be very close to Singh during the last days of his life.
While talking to ETV Bharat, Toon shared many interesting things about Singh. In 2013, he learnt that famous mathematician Vashishtha Narayan Singh wanted to meet him. Singh's younger brother had come to call him and told that the mathematician follows his cartoons that are published in the newspaper and wanted to meet the cartoonist.
