essay on shakuntala devi in 500 words

Shakuntala Devi Essay in English

Shakuntala Devi Essay in English , Shakuntala Devi was a famous personality in India. She was an Indian writer. She was also known as a mathematical genius and a human-computer. She was well-known for making complicated mathematical calculations in her mind. She instantly came out with the results without any trouble. Born on 4 November 1929, she belonged to a family in southern India.

She was the daughter of a circus performer. This is why she began displaying her skills at an early age. Her father recognized her in the form of a child prodigy. This is why he started taking her on roadshows, where she showed her ability to calculate easily.

Essay On Shakuntala Devi

There are many amazing things about Shakuntala Devi. One of them is that she did not get any formal education because of the poor financial condition of her family. But still, she had the most brilliant mind and she used it in the calculation of mathematics.

Due to her phenomenal ability to do the most complex mathematical calculations with no use of technology or any other thing, she became popular. Eventually, she turned out to be a global phenomenon.

A professor of psychology, Arthur Jensen, at the University of California, Berkeley, examined and studied her abilities. This is why he decided to publish his findings of Shakuntala Devi in the academic journal named Intelligence.

It was her extraordinary abilities, which also let her earn a place in the 1982 edition of ‘The Guinness Book of World Records.’ Another amazing thing about Shakuntala Devi is that she had also written many children’s books and worked on puzzles, mathematics, and astrology.

Also Read: Kamarajar Essay in English

Her childhood and early life

Her family was an orthodox family and a Kannada-based Brahmin family. Her father rebelled against his traditional family to follow this unconventional profession rather than becoming an astrologer or priest as his forefathers had been.

Her father was a traveling magician. Even, her father did not have the funds to let her educate. As per an anecdote, Shakuntala Devi began playing card games with her father when she was just 3 years. It was her father, who understood that this little girl got success in all the games against him.

Every day, she defeated her father in games, but her father suspected her of cheating. This is why he closely studied her when she used to play. He realized that she was capable of memorizing all the card numbers along with their sequence as the game proceeded in the initial rounds. In the next rounds, she used this knowledge to win the game.

Once he found that his daughter had a special ability as a gift from God, he decided to take her on tours while traveling. In shows, Shakuntala Devi was efficient to show her calculation ability. It led her to gain attention in the world and was capable of earning sufficient money for her father.

Slowly and slowly, she got popular in the whole world because of her brilliant ability. This is why she began appearing at universities located in the southern part of India. When she was 6 years old, she displayed her abilities to the faculty of the University of Mysore.

She also visited other universities, where she displayed her abilities such as the Annamalai University, Osmania University, and the varsities of Visakhapatnam and Hyderabad.

Later years

As time passed on, Shakuntala Devi became a world-popular personality. Her name started to recall everywhere in the world. In 1944, she moved to London with her father. She traveled all over the world and showed her skills in many countries like Hong King, the USA, Japan, Canada, Italy, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Spain, France, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In 1955, Shakuntala Devi appeared on a BBC show, where she solved a complex mathematical problem given by the host Leslie Mitchell. She solved this problem in just a few seconds. However, she was told that she gave an incorrect answer, which was different from what the host with his team had calculated.

Then, the host rechecked the answer and came to know about the answer given by Shakuntala Devi was current and the original answer was not right. This is how the news spread like a fire all over the world. This way, she got the title of the ‘Human-Computer.’

Shakuntala Devi was often invited by a number of educational centers. She went to the Southern Methodist University located in the United States of America in 1977. At that time, she was asked to perform a calculation for the 23rd root of a 201-digit number.

She took just 50 seconds to solve this mathematical problem. The time taken by a professor to write down the problem on the board was 4 minutes and a Univac computer took more than a minute to give this answer. But she just took a few minutes, everyone was amazed at her.

Contribution Of Shakuntala Devi

Along with being a mathematician, Shakuntala Devi was also a brilliant and successful astrologer. She authored a lot of books on the subject. Additionally, Shakuntala Devi also wrote texts on mathematics for puzzles and children.

‘The World of Homosexuals’ was the most significant book written by Shakuntala Devi in 1977, which is the first complete study of homosexuality in India. She got the inspiration to write this book from her husband as she realized that he was a homosexual. This is the reason why she researched a lot and worked closely on homosexuality.

Shakuntala Devi began the Shakuntala Devi Education Foundation Public Trust. The motive of this trust is to give quality education to kids who come from underprivileged backgrounds. It was she, who made hard efforts to spread global awareness about the contribution of India towards the subject of mathematics.

In 1960, Shakuntala Devi was awarded at the University of Philippines with the title of ‘The Most Distinguished Woman of the Year.’ she also received an award named ‘Ramanujan Mathematical Genius’ in Washington D.C in 1988. She died on 21 April 2013. Shakuntala Devi was a popular figure in Indian history and was honored with a Google Doodle.

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Shakuntala Devi: A Human Computer

Table of Contents

28 January 2021

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Shakuntala Devi was a mathematician who cherished to simplify the magic of arithmetic calculations through her exceptional talent. Her wisdom and gifted personality have inspired millions of students all around the globe.

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 maths 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 throughout the world by securing a place in “The Guinness Book of World Records” for her intellectual mathematical talent. 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 is genuinely a wonder on earth whose life journey needs to be known by students and parents.

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Here is a PDF that tells about the famous Indian Mathematician Shakuntala Devi, and her achievements. Click on the download button to know more.

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 is 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 * 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’s her mental ability to determine the right answer in her mind calculations.

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

The independent will to achieve the success and enjoyment in the subject of maths earned her universal recognition. Our determination to grasp and follow the greater good in our interests makes us a successful person. Embarking on a smart path through difficult situations and assessments can make each of us an excellent student.

Devi has 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 prowess.

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 mesmerized 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, and 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 honorable 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 bonded calculations and inspirational spirit.

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It might never be enough to know the fantastic talents of Shakuntala Devi. Her skills, accuracy, and fastness seem like an unbelievable story, but let me assure you that she was an extremely talented Indian mathematician who made the impossible calculation by humans possible.

If you need to know more about her life journey or are interested in her books, please let us know. Sharing the inspiration and motivational thoughts mentioned by Shakuntala Devi in her speeches and books would be our pleasure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What were the famous puzzles by shaktuntala devi.

• Tall Men Next Door
• Brothers and Sisters
• Matter of Time
• Bicycle thieves

What are the famous books written by Shakuntala Devi?

• Puzzles to Puzzle You
• Figuring the Joy Of Numbers
• Book Of Numbers

Shakuntala Devi: Biography, Contributions and Facts

A household name throughout our country, Shakuntala Devi – famously known as “the human computer” was someone who carved a name for herself in Indian history as a mathematical genius and writer, in a country where women in STEM research fields are underrepresented even today . She took people across the world by storm in the 70s and 80s with her astounding ability to mentally calculate equations involving numbers of the highest order and broke calculation world records. One can find various puzzle books authored by her in bookstores across the nation even today. This article seeks to put forth an overview of her life and her contributions to various fields, including writing, although she is remembered mainly as a mathematical prodigy.

Shakuntala Devi: Early Life And Mathematical Career

Devi was born on November 4, 1929, to a traditional Kannada Brahmin family living in Bangalore. Her father, however, unlike the rest of the family who were priests worked in a circus as a tightrope walker, trapeze artist, lion tamer, and stage magician. Her father discovered her extraordinary abilities one day when she was three years old and they were playing a game of cards together. He noticed that she was able to win by memorizing all the cards. Her father took her on performances on the road where she displayed her talents. She had to drop out of school in class one due to her family not being able to afford the fees, however, this did not hinder her destiny as she was a child prodigy who was able to solve sums without any formal education. By the time she was six, she was touring different universities such as the University of Mysore, Annamalai University, Osmania University, etc. giving out public performances. Thus she was able to capitalize on her talents, and despite being the youngest member of her family and only a child, she became its breadwinner.

A few years later, she moved to London along with her father and in 1950, embarked on a tour around Europe and amazed academics and the public everywhere she went, as her answers would turn out to be different but right when checked. It was around this time during a BBC appearance that she was conferred the title of “Human Computer”; however, she stated that she disliked the name and that it was unfair to compare computers with the human mind. Her fame was not all rosy as she also had the responsibility of being her family’s sole earner and thus sent all her money to them.

Devi gained recognition not for her ability to calculate large sums alone but also the astounding speed at which she was able to calculate them. In 1976, The New York Times  wrote about her  that

“She could give you the cube root of 188,132,517 — or almost any other number — in the time it took to ask the question. If you gave her any date in the last century, she would tell you what day of the week it fell on.”

A year later, when at Southern Methodist College in Dallas, she calculated the 23rd root of a 201 digit long number in less than a minute whereas a UNIVAC 1101 computer took 12 seconds longer than her to do the same. Programmers then wrote a special code solely for confirming her answer.  In a 2007 interview , Devi stated that this calculation had been the most difficult one she had faced – and yet it took her only 50 seconds. In 1980, she also earned a spot on the Guinness Book of Records for multiplying two 13 digit numbers in 28 seconds. Noted educational psychologist and researcher had the opportunity to study Shakuntala Devi in 1988, and made her undertake a series of tasks and tests. While publishing his observations and findings from the same, he  stated that  “Devi solved most of the problems faster than I was able to copy them in my notebook.” (Telegraph, 2013)

Source: India Today

Beyond the Numbers – Her Various Accomplishments:

Shakuntala Devi was a multi-faceted personality, which reflects itself in her life’s events as she went on to dabble in various fields rather than stick to just mathematics. Unlike the general perception of mathematical geniuses and the like, people described her as a warm, outgoing and engaging person, adept at holding conversations and having a good stage presence. She was not someone who touted her skills or wanted to pursue math exclusively; rather, she  said that  what the world needed was more humanity.

Devi was a prolific writer, dabbling in various topics. Books written by her include a thriller novel titled “Perfect Murder,” cookbooks, and various others on numbers and puzzles, meant to help both children and adults. Her thirst for learning knew no bounds – she was interested in the arts and also studied astrology, and wrote a book titled “Astrology For You.” In 1980 she even tried her hand at politics, contesting in the Lok Sabha elections from two different constituencies as an independent candidate – Mumbai South and Medak (Andhra Pradesh). In the latter, she stood against Indira Gandhi and ended up not getting many votes in both areas.

She was progressive and forward-thinking– she firmly believed in living life independently. She declined to take up her husband’s name, even going so far as getting into fights with clerks over the same, stating that “I want the ration card to be made out in my own name, taking me as a full-fledged individual, a complete person in my own right” (Srinivasan, 2020). After her husband Paritosh Banerji – an IAS officer, came out of the closet leading to their divorce, in an unexpected response she began campaigning for LGBTQIA+ rights.

In 1977, she published a book titled ‘The World of Homosexuals’, widely regarded as the first Indian book on homosexuality. It was a work ahead of its time. In it, she included interviews with gay men both within and outside India, advocated for complete acceptance and decriminalization of same-sex relationships, and wrote about how sexuality is fluid and not limited to a binary. Though the book did not receive much attention back then due to its subject matter, it remains a book praised till date for its sensitive handling. Devi established herself as a passionate and consistent LGBTQIA+ ally decades before most public figures in India, even appearing in the 2001 documentary  For Straights Only  to talk about what led her there.

Read: LGBTQ MOVEMENTS

Death and Legacy:

On April 21, 2013, Shakuntala Devi passed away at the age of 83 in her hometown after being hospitalized for respiratory problems. She is survived by Anupama Banerji, her daughter, and two grandchildren. She left a lasting impact in people’s minds, not only for her genius abilities but also as an empathetic person who cared deeply for others.

In May 2019, a biopic about her life was announced, helmed by director Anu Menon and with Vidya Balan in the role of Shakuntala Devi. The film has been getting a lot of hype, with Devi’s daughter stating that she was extremely happy with the film and its portrayal. Due to the pandemic, its release was delayed a little, but now it is slated to be out by July 31 for streaming. This adaptation will hopefully serve to remind us, especially the younger generation of the extraordinary Shakuntala Devi, whose life and actions serve as a role model for all of us.

Deccan Herald. (2019, May 9).  Shakuntala Devi is getting a biopic but who is she?   https://www.deccanherald.com/specials/shakuntala-devi-is-getting-a-biopic-but-who-is-she-732970.html

India Today. (2019, September 17).  Shakuntala Devi, the ‘human computer’ and author of India’s first study on homosexuality .  https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/shakuntala-devi-the-human-computer-and-author-of-india-s-first-study-on-homosexuality-1600045-2019-09-17

Kumar, P. (2007, June 20).  In the Wonderland of numbers . Hindustan Times.  https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/in-the-wonderland-of-numbers/story-6g59TrPZJAaBIG8cNvT7MN.html

Mubarak, S. (2020, May 13).  Who is Shakuntala Devi, the woman called the ‘Human computer’? | VOGUE India . Vogue India.  https://www.vogue.in/content/who-is-shakuntala-devi-the-woman-called-the-human-computer-vidya-balan-bollywood-biopic-real-story

Pandya, H. (2013, April 24).  Shakuntala Devi, ‘Human computer’ who bested the machines, dies at 83 . The New York Times.  https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/world/asia/shakuntala-devi-human-computer-dies-in-india-at-83.html

Quint Entertainment. (2020, July 16).  A peek into Shakuntala Devi’s life before the film releases . The Quint.  https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/celebrities/a-peek-into-shakuntala-devis-life-before-the-film-releases

Ramnath, N. (2020, July 25).  More than maths: Shakuntala Devi biopic aims to reveal the woman who ‘lived life to the fullest’ . Scroll.in.  https://scroll.in/reel/968328/more-than-maths-shakuntala-devi-biopic-aims-to-reveal-the-woman-who-lived-life-to-the-fullest

Shakuntala Devi . (2013, April 22). Telegraph.co.uk.  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10011281/Shakuntala-Devi.html

Srinivasan, A. (2020, May 30).  Remembering Shakuntala Devi, who did much more than solve math problems . The Wire Science.  https://science.thewire.in/the-sciences/shakuntala-devi-arithmetic-world-of-homosexuals-humanity/

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Sakuntala Devi

Shakuntala Devi, also known as the “Human Computer,” was born on November 4, 1929 into a Kannada Brahmin family, in Bangalore, India. Her father, C V Sundararaja Rao, performed in a circus as a magician, a trapeze artist and a lion tamer. When Shakuntala was about three years old, her father was teaching her a card trick and was amazed by her ability to memorize numbers. Having discovered that his daughter was a prodigy, he and his wife left the circus and took Shakuntala on the road to showcase her remarkable computing capability–a talent acquired without any formal education. At the age of six , Shakuntala was invited to the University of Mysore where she amazed audiences with her outstanding capacity to perform computations of high complexity almost instantaneously.

In 1944, at the age of 15, Devi left India and moved to London, UK. and in 1950, she was traveling through Europe dazzling audiences with her talent for executing complex mental calculations. Included in these mental gymnastics were performance of the four arithmetical operations and the extraction of square roots of large numbers in a shorter time than possible with the handheld calculator. Sometime in the mid 1960’s, Devi returned to India where she married Paritosh Banerji, but the marriage would eventually end in divorce when it was discovered that her husband was homosexual.

In 1976, Devi traveled to New York City where she continued to dazzle audiences. The following year, while performing at Southern Methodist University in Texas, she computed the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds. Her answer, 546,372,891, was confirmed by the UNIVAC 1101 computer that executed, in longer than 50 seconds, a program specially written to perform this complex computation. In that same year, Shakuntala was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the correct multiplication of two 13-digit numbers in 28 seconds. In June 1980, she stood before an enraptured audience as the computer at Imperial College London generated two randomly chosen 13-digit numbers 7,686,369,774,870 and 2,465,099,745,779. and demanded their product. Within a span of 28 seconds an incredulous audience watched her scrawl on the blackboard, the correct answer 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730.

In 1988, psychologist Arthur Jensen at the University of California, Berkeley studied Devi’s unprecedented ability to gain insights into its workings. He reported, in the July 1990 edition of the journal Intelligence , that her mental computations seemed to be performed effortlessly or automatically the way a composer writes and hears the music of a new composition at the same time. He observed that she was able to compute the cube root of 61,629,875 and the seventh root of 170,859,375 before he could write them in his notebook. You can see a demonstration of Shakuntala Devi performing her magic at: https://youtu.be/yYnZT1KN0fA

Shakuntala Devi authored numerous books, including Figuring: The Joy of Numbers , (1977) in which she discussed her mathematical techniques and her passion for the subject. She also wrote books on astrology and puzzles. Apart from her mathematical accomplishments, Shakuntala Devi was a strong advocate for human rights and gender equality. She was actively involved in various social and political causes in India and from the early 1980s resided in Bangalore. In early April 2013, Devi was suffering from severe respiratory problems and was admitted to a hospital. Her condition worsened as her heart and kidneys began to fail. She died in the hospital on 21 April 2013 at the age of 83.

Shakuntala Devi’s legacy is one of inspiring countless individuals to pursue mathematics and break societal stereotypes. Her demonstrations of apparently unconscious mental calculations and her charismatic personality made her a renowned figure in India and around the world. She remains a symbol of extraordinary human potential and the power of dedication and self-learning in the pursuit of knowledge. Emphasizing the ubiquity of mathematics, she once asserted, “Without mathematics, there’s nothing you can do. Everything around you is mathematics. Everything around you is numbers.”

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Wonder of the Day #2811

Who Was Shakuntala Devi?

MATH — Operations and Algebraic Thinking

Have You Ever Wondered...

• Who was Shakuntala Devi?
• What did Shakuntala Devi accomplish?
• How was Shakuntala Devi so good at math?
• Operations And Algebraic Thinking ,
• Shakuntala Devi ,
• Human Calculator ,
• Mathematics ,
• Multiplication ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by jadon. jadon Wonders , “ Is a brain faster than a calculator ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, jadon!

Let’s start this Wonder of the Day with some math practice. Ready? Okay, what’s 2 ✕ 2? If you said four, you’re right! How about 10 ✕ 10? Yes, 100! Now for a harder one: What is 7,686,369,774,870 ✕ 2,465,099,745,779?

You may have pulled out a pencil and paper—or a calculator—for that one. But believe it or not, one woman found the right answer (18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730) in 1980 without the use of either. Even more impressive, she did so in just 28 seconds! 

Which mathematician achieved this? Her name was Shakuntala Devi, and she was the first recorded Indian woman to become a mathematician. However, her talents didn’t stop with math. Devi was also a talented writer and wrote several books.

Shakuntala Devi was born on November 4, 1929, in Bangalore, India . Her father worked for a circus as a magician, lion tamer, and trapeze artist. As a child, Devi traveled with the circus as her father performed.

When Devi was three, her father discovered she had a special talent . When they played cards together, she always won. Devi did so by memorizing all of the cards and the order in which they were dealt. This was an exceptional ability to display at such a young age.

That’s why many people called Devi a child prodigy . Unfortunately, Devi had to leave school at the age of six. Still, she continued to study math concepts on her own. She soon began to earn money by demonstrating her talents at various colleges and universities. 

Devi showed a strong understanding of multiplication. She was able to find the product of numbers that were 13 digits long! She could also find the cube roots of large numbers in mere seconds. Devi once even found the 7th root of a 27-digit number in just 40 seconds.

Devi had another unique skill related to her understanding of numbers . She could identify the day of the week on which any date in history fell. Even more impressive, she could do so within one second of hearing the date. This and her other talents were verified in 1988 by a test at the University of California, Berkeley.

How was Devi so good at math? Historians believe she taught herself by reading books about mathematical concepts. And, of course, she practiced. Her career as a performer meant that Devi was constantly exercising her brain and getting better with numbers.

Shakuntala Devi was a lifelong learner, and she was interested in many subjects. In addition to math, Devi wrote books about cooking and astrology . She was also an ally to LGBTQIA+ folks. She was the first person in India to write a book about same-gender relationships.

On April 21, 2013, Devi died from cardiac and respiratory issues. Today, she’s still remembered for her amazing talents. In fact, she still holds the Guiness World record for the fastest human computation . A movie about her life was released in 2020.

Are you a math whiz like Shakuntala Devi? Or do your interests lie elsewhere? Whatever your special talent, take some time to practice what you’ve learned today!

Common Core , Next Generation Science Standards , and National Council for the Social Studies ."> Standards : CCRA.R.4, CCRA.L.3, CCRA.L.6, CCRA.R.10, CCRA.SL.1, CCRA.SL.3, CCRA.SL.4, CCRA.W.2, CCRA.W.4, CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7

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• Want to learn about other famous women mathematicians in history? Check out this article from cuemath . Do you think it was more difficult for women to be accepted as mathematicians in the past? If so, why? Which of these women mathematicians is most interesting to you? Share this article with a friend or family member and discuss some of their achievements. 
• Shakuntala Devi was gifted with a talent for math and wrote books to help people improve their math skills. What are you good at? Have you won any awards for your abilities? Maybe in a sport, writing, or musical instrument? Write a short how-to article about something you’re good at and give some tips on how someone could get started exploring that skill. Add some suggestions on how one might improve that skill if they’re struggling. Share your article with a friend or family member. 
• How good are you at math? Do you think it’s fun or boring? Are you curious to find out more about some of the math concepts mentioned in today’s Wonder? Check out this article about cubes and cube roots from mathisfun . You can even try out your skills with test questions at the end.

Wonder Sources

• https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-was-the-secret-of-shakuntala-devi-calculating-abilities-6532496/ (accessed 24 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/some-interesting-facts-about-shakuntala-devi-a-human-computer/articleshow/72492144.cms (accessed 24 Aug. 2021)
• https://www.sociologygroup.com/shakuntala-devi/ (accessed 24 Aug. 2021)
• https://learnersdictionary.com/ (accessed 24 Aug. 2021)

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Shakuntala Devi was the first recorded Indian woman to become a . . .

• a magician Not Quite!
• b mathematician Correct!
• c trapeze artist Not Quite!
• d author Not Quite!

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For which of the following does Shakuntala Devi still hold the Guiness World Record?

• a fastest human computation Correct!
• b longest equation solved Not Quite!
• c most books read Not Quite!
• d most playing cards memorized Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

Which of the following is NOT a subject Shakuntala Devi wrote about?

• a astrology Not Quite!
• b cooking Not Quite!
• c same-sex relationships Not Quite!
• d home repair Correct!

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Shakuntala Devi Contribution to Mathematics

Table of Contents

Shakuntala devi contribution to maths.

Shakuntala Devi contribution to Mathematics  was immense. She was a born Math Genious and millions of students across the world learned from her with her workshops in schools and colleges. She was crowned as Human-Computer due to her strong calculative skills. Know more about her and her contribution to Maths by reading below:

About Shakuntala Devi

Shakuntala Devi- The Human-Computer of the world as she was called made a great contribution to maths. She was born on 4 th Nov 1929 in a Brahmin family in Bangalore city of India. She had an extraordinary mathematical skill which has inspired millions of students across the world. At an early age she became world-famous through her superb arithmetic skills. She belonged to a lower-middle-class family and her father used to work in a circus. He had discovered extraordinary mathematical skills at an early age. Then he made her participate in the mathematical talent shows. She had to drop out of school since her family was not able to afford her fees. But she is a born-genius and was able to solve difficult maths calculations even without the need for formal education in school. Even at the age of six, she used to visit Universities to give public performances like the University of Mysore, Annamalai University, Osmania University to name a few, and brilliantly she used to answer all the questions. She was becoming famous over the period of time and started to earn bigger money even being a child.

Seeing a bigger opportunity overseas she started touring across the world starting with London in the 1950s where she got popular in media with BBC giving her the title of Human-Computer. In her mathematical skills of Speed and Accuracy, she could beat the computers.

Her Achievements

Feats of Shakuntala Devi and her contribution to maths

Some of the Feats of Shakuntala Devi include:-

• In Dallas at Sothern Methodist College, she calculated the 23 rd  cube root of 201 digit number in 50 seconds giving the answer 546,372,891 in comparison to a UNIVAC 1101 computer which took more time to around 12 more seconds to do the same calculation.
• At Imperial College London, 1980 she multiplied 7686369774870 and 2465099745779 calculating the 26 digit answer in 28 seconds. She holds Guinness Book of World Record for this fastest human computation.
• She calculated cube root of 95443993 as 457 in 2 seconds
• She calculated cube root of 2373927704 as 1334 in 10 seconds
• She calculated the 8 th  root of 20047612231936 as 46 in 10 seconds

As per New York Times “She could give you the cube root of 188,132,517 — or almost any other number — in the time it took to ask the question. If you gave her any date in the last century, she would tell you what day of the week it fell on”

Secret Revealed : How did Shakuntala Devi Learn Mathematical Skills?

Shakuntal Devi was a born genius. She was totally a self learner. She was daughter of circus performer and she used travel with her parents when she just three  years old. Shakuntala Devi contribution to Mathematics was enormous.It has been learnt that card tricks helped her develop the skills of calculation. As soon as she learnt to calculate cube roots mentally , she had started visiting many school and colleges to demonstrate her calculative ability. She had began travelling the world when she was in her teen age.

How much maths has Shakuntala Devi studied?

She has been a self learner throughout her life. There is not much information available on her maths education. However she has written several books on calculations and math puzzles.

Writings/ Selected Works of Shakuntala Devi

• Mathability: Awaken the Math Genius in Your Child
• More Puzzles to Puzzle
• Astrology for You
• Book of Numbers 
• Figuring: The Joy of Numbers
• In the Wonderland of Numbers
• Perfect Murder
• Puzzles to Puzzle You
• Super Memory: It Can Be Yours

Interesting facts about Shakuntala Devi

She never liked the title – human-computer., she did not receive any formal schooling, she was honored in 2013  with a google doodle ..

           This was done on 84 birth anniversary. Check the Google Doodle link .

Writing of Books

         She had written a book” Figuring – A joy of numbers” still under print.

Study of her Abilities

         Arthur Jenson, who was a professor of educational psychology studied Shakuntala Devi’s abilities in 1988.

Lok Sabha Elections 

         She fought Lok Sabha elections in 1980 against Indra Gandhi . According to an article in New York Times, she as an independent candidate had fought from Mumbai and Medak but she lost the elections and came to 9th position.

         She was married to Paritosh Bannerjee, an IAS officer in 1960.

Was Shakuntla Devi an astrologer?

Shakuntala Devi, a great mathematician also started astrology. By studying stars, planets of an individual as per the date of birth, she used to make predictions about personal lives, describe their personalities, and offered advice. She has also written a book on astrology- Astrology for you. The book gives information on planets, zodiacs etc.

Death of Shakuntala Devi

Shakuntla Devi died at the age of 83 on 21 April 2013 in Bangalore. She had respiratory problems. With her extraordinary skills and geniuses she inspired math learners across the world. A biopic movie has also been made where the role of Shakuntala Devi has been played by Vidya Balan.

Shakuntala Devi was extremely talented in calculations and her achievements /books show her contribution to maths. Her ability to calculate accurately with enormous speed has never been seen before. She used to beat the speed of computers in calculations.

If you intend to know more about her life, her books in maths, do let us know about it. We would love to share more information about Shakuntla Devi and her writings.

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b. 1929 Feats of mathematical greatness.

By Maggie Jones

In retrospect, it seems inevitable that the 3-year-old girl with pigtail braids would end up on the stage. Her father was a traveling magician, and for seven generations before him, the men of the family were performers of a different sort: Brahmin priests and astrologers. So when the tiny, preschool-age girl named Shakuntala Devi effortlessly memorized an entire shuffled deck of cards at one of her father’s shows, he lifted her onto a table for her debut.

In another time, in another place, in another family, the child prodigy might have honed her skills with tutors and math classes. But this was the 1930s in Bangalore, India, and Devi’s family was impoverished. Stage money was fast money; education, on the other hand, was a long-term investment her parents couldn’t afford.

Every morning, Devi and her father headed out on foot to display her talents at schools and businesses. At 5, when other kids were learning to count to 100, she was extracting cube roots in her head and was the family’s sole money earner. Soon she started appearing at universities throughout southern India. By her teens, she had moved to bigger stages in England, saving just enough money to pay for her room and board and sending the rest home.

Childhood fame can be lonely, but Devi had her numbers. They were her native tongue and her toys. She found them in telephone books, on license plates, in grocery stores. She manipulated them, rearranged them, reduced them into beautiful equations. But mostly, the teenage girl longed for a different sort of adolescence, one in which she could master those numbers — along with art, history and science — in a classroom.

By adulthood, the duty to perform and travel had become a muscle that she couldn’t rest. For more than six decades, Devi packed her suitcase, often every several weeks, for England, the United States, Hong Kong, Japan, Sri Lanka, Italy, Canada, Russia, France, Spain, Mauritius, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Before each performance, she needed an hour of silence. Then as soon as Devi stepped onstage in her flowing saris, her gold jewels and her pink lipstick, she was at ease and chatty. She asked for the birth years and dates of members of the audience: In one second or so, she pinpointed the day of the week on which they were born. Or she would rattle off the dates of, say, every Monday in a given year. “Is that correct?” she would ask. Yes, it was correct. Again and again, she was correct.

She wowed the magician Ricky Jay on a CBS special, “Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women,” as she extracted roots from nine- and 10-digit numbers. She liked to see the numbers on a chalkboard, without commas, which interrupted their natural flow. The cube root of 849278123? The cube root of 2186875592? Then: Click. With a small shrug of her shoulders, she had the answer. On the BBC, she teased the host, David Frost, about the simplicity of her calculations. “You’ve got it?” she said, knowing full well he didn’t. “How do you do it?” TV hosts often asked. The question bored Devi, but she didn’t show it. “It’s a very automatic reaction. . . . I was born with this gift.”

In later years, she took on the astrological work of her ancestors, seeing up to 60 clients a day in hotel suites around the world. Astrology was a numbers game, too. Clients gave Devi a date of birth, time of birth and birthplace, and she answered three questions about their lives. (She charged the equivalent of about $35 in India, more in the West.) Devi’s daughter, Anupama Banerji, told me that her mother had an uncanny intuition about when marriages would work, businesses would fail, if a pregnant woman would be having a boy or a girl. Other times, Devi simply knew what every great performer knows: how to connect with your audience and give it what it wants. When a Moscow TV interviewer asked Devi to predict how much money she wanted her husband to have, Devi said, “You want your husband to have millions and millions and millions.” Then she added, with a smile, “Am I correct?”

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SHAKUNTALA DEVI

The human computer (1929-2013)

W ho can forget Shakuntala Devi, the ‘human computer’? A writer, mental calculator and a child prodigy, she earned a place in the 1982 edition of The Guinness Book of World Records. Born on November 4 1929 in Bangalore, into a very poor Brahmin Kannadiga family, her father who instead of becoming a priest opted to be a circus artiste, could ill-afford her school fee of Rs. 2, and so she never attended school. However, the 3-year-old, accompanying her father to the circus, was mesmerised with his performances.

Later, he introduced her to the world of mathematics, teaching her interesting card tricks that initiated her love for numbers. Her ability to solve difficult mathematical problems soon spread like wildfire and she enthralled audiences with her wit and card-tricks, while her father entertained them with rope-walking.

She had her first major show at the University of Mysore at 6 years, where she displayed her mathematical prowess by solving arithmetical problems, mental math questions and finding out complex square roots and cube roots within a few seconds. At Annamalai University at the age of 8, she was finally acknowledged as a ‘child prodigy’.

Never resorting to using any mechanical device, she shot to greater fame by mentally calculating one of the toughest mathematical multiplications 10 seconds faster than the fastest and the most efficient computer of the time. Her adept calculations and her confident demeanour won her plaudits. Albert Einstein, taken aback by her skills, called her a ‘Mathematical Wizard’.

Through the 1950s, she toured the world and performed in a number of institutions, theatres and even appeared on television. On October 5 1950, at a BBC show, host Leslie Mitchell gave her a complex math problem to solve, which she did in seconds, but he contested her answer. However, on Devi’s insistence, there was a re-check and the host conceded. This earned her the sobriquet of the ‘Human Computer’.

The popular Bob Wellings of the BBC show, ‘Nationwide’ on Sept. 27, 1973, was stunned when she managed give the right answers to all the mathematical questions that he bombarded her with. In 1977 she received a standing ovation from an audience of erudite mathematicians, when she gave the answer of the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds. The most powerful computer at the time took exactly 62 seconds.

Fortunately, unlike many other child prodigies, her mathematical skills did not wane in her teenage and adult years. Apart from being an unparalleled mathematician, Devi was also an astrologer, activist and a prolific writer, whose works inspired millions of people. Some of her best-known works are ‘Figuring: the Joy of Numbers’, ‘Astrology for You’, ‘Perfect Murder’ and ‘The World of Homosexuals’. ‘Puzzles to Puzzle You’ is considered one of her best works for aspiring and budding mathematicians.

Among her awards included the ‘Distinguished Woman of the Year Award’ in 1969, from the University of Philippines, along with a gold medal; the ‘Ramanujan Mathematical Genius Award’ in 1988, conferred by then Indian Ambassador to U.S. and also enlisted in the ‘1995 Guinness Book of World Records’ edition for her outstanding mathematical feat, where she beat the world’s fastest computer at multiplying two thirteen digit numbers.

A month before her death, she was honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ in Mumbai, in 2013. She set up the ‘Educational Foundation Public Trust’ to promote mathematical, astrological and philosophical studies in Bangalore.

Married to Paritosh Banerjee, an IAS officer from Kolkata, in the mid-1960s, the couple however, separated in 1979 (due to his homosexuality). In 1980, she contested the Lok Sabha elections as an independent, from Bombay South and Medak, Andhra Pradesh, “to defend the people of Medak from being fooled by Mrs. Gandhi”, but lost.

She soon began offering astrological advice to celebrities and politicians. Towards the end of her life, Devi grew frail. Her health soon began to deteriorate after her kidneys failed, and she breathed her last on April 21, 2013. On 4 November 2013, Devi was honoured with a Google Doodle for what would have been her 84th birthday!

– A. Radhakrishnan is a Pune based freelance journalist, poet and short story writer. (retd)

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All You Need to Know About Shakuntala Devi: The Human Computer

• Updated on  
• Aug 2, 2021

Blessed with the superhuman ability to carry out complex mathematical calculations, Shakuntala Devi a.k.a. the Human-Computer astonished the world with her mathematical intelligence. A vigorous and enthusiastic achiever and amongst the most famous Indian Mathematicians, Devi was able to remember numbers since she was 3 years old and went on to perform live calculations on TV and Radio. Further, she also explored astrology to delve deeper into her passionate strive towards numbers and became an ally of the LGBTQ community as well. Curious to know about the life of this math wizard? This blog takes you through an insightful journey of unraveling the life story of Shakuntala Devi, how she became the Human Computer, made significant contributions to Astrology and extended her support to the LGBTQ community in India!

This Blog Includes:

Shakuntala devi’s childhood, gaining popularity as the ‘human computer’, where did she learn these skills , about shakuntala devi, a gifted and versatile genius, shakuntala devi film.

Shakuntala Devi was born on 4th November 1929 in Bangalore, Karnataka. Her father, who rejected being a temple priest in favor of working in a circus, was the first to realize the 3-year old Shakuntala’s talent of memorizing numbers while teaching her card tricks. Soon after that, her father left his job at the circus and focussed on conducting roadshows to demonstrate her incredible abilities to the world. By the age of five, she became a pro at solving math problems. 

Her first major show was at the University of Mysore at the age of 6, and it was only the beginning of many public shows that followed. Shakuntala Devi never received any formal education but engaged in reading and writing on her own accord. She moved to London with her father in 1944.

Shakuntala Devi toured many countries of the world while exhibiting her mathematical genius including a tour of Europe in the 1950s and of New York in 1976.

The fastest computers in use at that time were no match to the speed of Devi’s brain. Some of the astonishing and striking achievements through which Devi earned the title of the Human-Computer are:

• In the year 1977, Shakuntala Devi visited the Southern Methodist University where she calculated the 23rd root of a 201 digit number in a mere 50 seconds, which was less than the time taken by Univac-1108, the then-fastest computer in the world, to make the same calculation. 
• Her name was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for her feat of multiplying two randomly assigned 13 digit numbers at Imperial College London in 1980.
• In 1988, she was tested by Arthur Jensen, an American Psychologist, Writer and Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley as Devi calculated cube roots of large numbers mentally in mere seconds. In the same test, she took only 40 seconds to calculate the 7th root of a 33 digit number.
• Devi was also good at calendric calculations as she could instantly find out the right weekday from any date of the last century.

Interesting Fact: When she was lauded with the accolade of ‘Human Computer’, Devi often said that she was not very fond of this title and considered the human brain as far superior to any computer can ever be. 

Devi did not go to school, so you may wonder, where did she actually learn all these skills? She is entirely self taught. From the age of three, she travelled with her parents as her father worked in a circus. There, she learned the ability to calculate while performing card tricks. Once she started exhibiting cube roots in her head, she became a performer exhibiting her skills. Discovering it, her father left the circus and took her on road shows that displayed her ability at calculation.

Known for her fiercely independent spirit, Shakuntala Devi married Paritosh Banerji, who was an IAS Officer in Kolkata. After giving birth to her daughter Anupama Banerji, her marriage fell apart, and later the couple got divorced as Banerji’s homosexuality was revealed. This urged Devi to delve deeper into the roots of Homosexuality in India and later she wrote a book titled The World of Homosexuals in which she openly challenged the stereotypical idea of homosexuality as immoral. This book was also amongst the first published academic studies on Homosexuality in the country. Through her writing, Devi called out that those disrespecting and mocking others on sexual preferences are actually immoral and must look within their own selves. She also ventured into Astrology to experiment with her fascination for numbers. During the 1980s, she also contested twice in the Lok Sabha Elections and the second time against Indira Gandhi. Shakuntala Devi passed away in Bangalore on 21st April 2013 due to respiratory and cardiac problems. 

A self-taught woman, Shakuntala Devi was not fluent in English when she first toured abroad but gradually attained mastery in a variety of languages in the course of her life. She wrote an array of books on Mathematics and Calculations as well as fictional novels and cookbooks amongst others. In her book titled Figuring: The Joy of Numbers, she discussed some of the methods she used for carrying out speedy calculations.

Inspired by her life, Director Anu Menon and producers, Sony Pictures Networks India, Abundantia Entertainment and Genius Films created the movie Shakuntala. Vidya Balan starred as the lead actor playing Shakuntala while Sanya Malhotra played her daughter. The story revolves around the mathematics genius and her personal and professional life. Actress Vidya Balan was also nominated for the 2021 Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Thus, Shakuntala Devi was truly a gifted mathematical genius and a tireless achiever who passionately pursued many interests during her lifetime from leaving the world awestruck with her faster calculations to chasing her fascination for numbers through Astrology and lending her support to the LGBTQ community as well. Are you apprehensive about finding the right career path? Our Leverage Edu experts are just a click away to guide you in making informed decisions at every step of your academic and professional journey! Sign up for a free session today!

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'Human Computer': Remembering Shakuntala Devi's Calculation Tricks On Her Death Anniversary

Shakuntala devi demonstrated the multiplication of two 13-digit numbers in just 28 seconds. she could also tell the day of the week of any given date in the last century spontaneously..

Late Shakuntala Devi, known for her ability to make complex mental calculations, extracted the 23rd root of a 201-digit number mentally in the year 1977. Shakuntala Devi demonstrated the multiplication of two 13-digit numbers 7,686,369,774,870 x 2,465,099,745,779 picked at random by the Computer Department of Imperial College, London on June 18, 1980, in just 28 seconds. Till date, it is known to be the fastest human computation.

She could also tell the day of the week of any given date in the last century spontaneously.

Guinness World Records on July 30, 2020, honoured Indian math genius, Shakuntala Devi, with the title for ''fastest human computation'', four decades after she achieved the feat.

She made it to the Guinness Book of World Records for her great ability and authored a number of books including 'Fun with Numbers', 'Astrology for You', 'Puzzles to Puzzle You', and 'Mathablity'.

On November 4, 2013, the google doodle celebrated her 84th birthday through an animated doodle that featured a calculator screen with a digital sketch of her, representing her “human computer” title.

Shakuntala Devi also wrote books on numbers, mathematics and homosexuality. Astrology for you, Book of numbers, Figuring: The joy of numbers, In the wonderland of numbers, Mathability: Awaken the math genius in your child, More puzzles to puzzle you, Puzzles to puzzle you, Super memory: It can be yours and The world of homosexuals are some of her works.

Born on November 4, 1929, Shakuntala Devi hailed from Bangalore. Shakuntala Devi's father was a circus performer who performed trapeze, tightrope and cannonball shows. Her father discovered her calculation abilities while she was playing cards with him. She won the game by simply memorising the cards.

Shakuntala Devi died on April 21, 2013, in Bangalore. She was suffering from respiratory ailments.

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Shakuntala Devi’s Contribution to Mathematics and Things to Know

Can you imagine someone whose brain works faster than the smartest computer out there? Well, that’s exactly who Shakuntala Devi, a human calculator, was, whose mathematical abilities boggled every mind she came across. This Indian genius could crunch mind-boggling numbers quicker than it took others even to write them down. With a brain hardwired for hardcore math, Shakuntala Devi etched her name in the Guinness Books for her superhuman feats.  

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Shakuntala Devi’s Biography and Early Life

Born on 4th November 1929 in Bengaluru, little Shakuntala showed strengths with numbers that were just freakishly unreal for her age. Her father, a traveling performer with a circus, was the first to spot her prodigious talents. He began parading the tiny tot on stage, where she would romp through complex calculations, leaving everyone stumped by her wizardry with numbers.

By just three years old, the Shakuntala Devi human calculator was solving sums that had college kids tying themselves in knots. Crowds would roar, watching her rattle off cube roots of crazy big numbers in a blink.

At the age of 6, Shakuntala was already a mini-celebrity, touring across India to showcase her mathematical genius at universities and audiences everywhere.

When she was eight years old, a famous mathematician put forth a challenge that would stump even modern computers – find the 23rd root of a considerable 201-digit number. While the rest of the world struggled even to copy down that hideous number, our young prodigy just furrowed her brow for 50 seconds before rattling off the correct answer. Every jaw hit the floor at this superhuman feat from a child.

As Shakuntala blossomed, her number-crunching skills only grew sharper and more mind-boggling. She credits her mother’s endless support as the driving force that nurtured her talent to dizzying heights.

With an incredibly gifted brain and an encouraging family, Shakuntala’s passion for math steered her straight into the annals of history.

Shakuntala Devi Education

For someone who rose to be a mathematical supremo, Shakuntala Devi’s biography tells that she barely had any formal education in the subject. No musty classrooms, no by-the-books training – her feats were almost entirely self-taught, powered by an internal fire for playing with numbers.

Instead of school, Shakuntala Devi’s education came through performing tours across India with her dad from a young age. She would take on dare-devil mathematics challenges thrown at her by professors and scientists, crunching through all complexities with ease that completely blazed their minds.

In her own words, “Going through the typical education system may have hindered my development. My brain’s incredible calculation abilities blossomed by continuously taking on new challenges mentally.”

So, while mainstream education gave her a miss, Shakuntala Devi’s education was undertaking the most unique form of learning – every performance was a masterclass, and every problem posed was a novel lesson that strengthened her superhuman gifts. Through this unorthodox path, she grasped advanced concepts in algebra, geometry, and more, all in her way.

By her teens, Shakuntala Devi, a human calculator, had amassed mathematical knowledge equivalent to a university degree. But it was entirely her flavor, brewed personally over years of voraciously indulging her obsession with numbers—a true unschooled mathematical maverick.

Contributions of Shakuntala Devi in Mathematics

Shakuntala Devi was far more than just a freaky talent – she was a legit pioneer who expanded the very frontiers of what the human brain could accomplish. Shakuntala Devi’s contributions to mathematics are:

Shakuntala Devi’s World Records

At just eight years of age, Shakuntala found her place into the Guinness Book by calculating the mind-numbing 188,132,517 cube root in just 50 seconds. This was merely the start of her bagging countless world records, be it multiplying gargantuan 13-digit numbers in the blink of an eye or extracting the 23rd root of a 201-digit number (that’s right – manually in her head.)

Records, records and more

Her prowess reached unbelievable heights in 1977 at London’s Imperial College. First, she casually extracted the cube root of 61,629,875 in 28 seconds. Then she was asked to find the 23rd root of a 201-digit number (a task that would take teams of mathematicians days.), Shakuntala crunched the beast in just 50 seconds, leaving the whole auditorium stunned into a standing ovation that didn’t cease for minutes.

Books on Math

This numbers ninja authored several game-changing books that simplified highly complex mathematical concepts for ordinary minds. Her book “Awoken Mind Math” laid out her very own techniques for developing freakish mental calculation abilities. Other notable works included “Fun with Numbers,” “Perfect Rebel,” and more guides, which are some of Shakuntala Devi’s contributions to mathematics.

Popularizing Mental Math

By showcasing her superhuman skills across the globe, Shakuntala fired a rocket in pursuit of developing lightning-fast mental calculation abilities. Her techniques demonstrated that our brains are hardwired to pull off complicated computations swiftly without needing support from calculators or computers.

An icon that will be remembered

She inspired a worldwide awakening about the power of our minds, driving many to develop an interest in mathematics and exploring long-forgotten psychological techniques like Vedic math to unlock our latent calculation talents. Even today’s students continue to get inspired by trailblazers like Shakuntala.

Related: Srinivasa Ramanujam’s Constribution to Mathematics

Other Accomplishments of Shakuntala Devi

Apart from rewriting the limits of mathematical genius, Shakuntala Devi’s biography tells that she was a true Renaissance woman who dazzled with her multitude of other talents:

• Writer : This brilliant mind penned many literary gems beyond just mathematical works. Her novels, essays, and study guides spanned a diverse range of subjects, reflecting an incredibly versatile knowledge base. Notable works included “The World of Homosexuals” and an insightful study on homosexuality and marriage.
• LGBTQ Activist : Shakuntala was very progressive for her era in advocating for the rights of homosexuals and queers, which was a compassionate matter at the time.
• Astrologer : Alongside her technical books, she wrote several volumes on astrology, making predictions across various domains like politics and environment – some of which were claimed to have mirrored reality.
• Stage Performer : Of course, her original calling card was her illustrious career performing her calculation talents across massive stage shows. Shakuntala’s mind-boggling acts toured throughout India, Europe, and even America, leaving every audience mesmerized in her wake.
• Polyglot : Moreover, in her performances, Shakuntala effortlessly conversed in English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, and many other languages as she was a multilingual powerhouse.

So, while she was first known for her supernatural math abilities, Shakuntala Devi blossomed into a true Renaissance woman who dazzled with her versatile skills and achievements across multiple disciplines.

Shakuntala Devi Film

In 2020, Shakuntala Devi’s biography was depicted in a film entitled “Shakuntala Devi.” This cinematic tribute to her casts the outstanding actress Vidya Balan as Shakuntala, a genius in numbers, so much so that her live image could be thought of as having returned among us.

The film was no mere surface-level biography. It plunged deep into the core of what made this unstoppable force of a woman tick. Vidya’s masterful performance transported viewers right into Shakuntala’s thrilling world, where esoteric mathematics problems got crunched with outrageous speed just from a fleeting glance at the numbers. We witnessed her leaving the most renowned mathematicians of the age looking like slack-jawed fools, shocked by her unearthly talents.

But “Shakuntala Devi” went way beyond just recreating her professional genius. It peeled back the layers to explore the beautifully flawed human being behind that supernatural calculator brain. We got to dive into her intimate relationships and her passionate roles as a feminist voice and social activist. We saw the harsh prejudices this woman from another era had to shatter through sheer willpower and spirit.

Vidya’s nuanced, powerful portrayal of the complex, multidimensional genius blazed on screen. Critics ran out of sugary adjectives to heap praise on her awe-inspiring act. Through her captivating performance, Balan ensured Shakuntala’s extraordinariness would be burnt into the psyche of all who witnessed this film.

By holistically celebrating both Shakuntala’s mind-bending achievements and the personal obstacles she triumphed over, the biopic guaranteed her inspiring life story would never be forgotten by future generations.

It painted a transcendent portrait of a true genius – one who didn’t just shatter mathematical limitations but obliterated every single stereotype that boxed in a woman’s potential. Shakuntala Devi’s cinematic experience was a life-altering glimpse into the infinite possibilities embodied by one unstoppable human spirit.

Legacy of The Human Calculator

In 2013, Shakuntala Devi died at the age of 83, but she left behind a great legacy that will never be forgotten. She will always be remembered as:

• The “Human Computer” whose incredible mental calculations redefined the frontiers of what the human mind could achieve. Shakuntala single-handedly demonstrated that our brains have vastly superior computational abilities than anyone imagined.
• An inspirational trailblazer who battered through gender barriers of her time to reach the dizzying heights of success, driven solely by her talent and passion. She proved that a woman’s potential is truly boundless.
• A true Renaissance personality whose brilliance transcended just mathematics. She underlined how mathematics need not remain confined to dusty textbooks but can be transformed into an enthralling skill and obsession when developed through rigorous mental discipline.

Her extraordinary life journey continues to inspire and motivate people of all ages, especially budding students, to cultivate a more profound interest in numbers, logic, reasoning, and pushing the frontiers of their cognitive abilities. Indeed, Shakuntala Devi’s legacy will be forever celebrated as that of an unparalleled genius who spectacularly redefined the very limits of human accomplishment.

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Kalidasa's Shakuntala . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Shakuntala: Introduction

Shakuntala: plot summary, shakuntala: detailed summary & analysis, shakuntala: themes, shakuntala: quotes, shakuntala: characters, shakuntala: symbols, shakuntala: theme wheel, brief biography of kalidasa.

Historical Context of Shakuntala

Other books related to shakuntala.

• Full Title: The Recognition of Shakuntala
• When Written: 4th-5th century
• Where Written: Northern India
• Literary Period: Classical Indian
• Genre: Play
• Setting: The Himalayan foothills
• Climax: Shakuntala and King Dusyanta recognize one another in Act VII
• Antagonist: Durvasas’s curse
• Point of View: Third-person omniscient

Extra Credit for Shakuntala

Faust and Shakuntala. The German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was so taken with Shakuntala , newly introduced in Europe in the 1700s, that he adapted its Prologue when writing his own play, Faust .

Language mix. In the play, Kalidasa actually employs a mixture of languages—Classical Sanskrit and Prakrit, a related but relatively unsystematic collection of popular dialects. Sanskrit is primarily spoken by the educated, upper-class male characters in the play; Prakrit is spoken by female characters and lower-class male characters.

Nov 30, 2013

Biography of Shakuntala Devi the Indian Mathematician Essay

Shakuntala Devi  is popularly known as the "Human Computer". She was a child prodigy and vivid mental calculator. Ms Devi had intrinsic quality of mathematical calculation.

Shakuntala Devi was born in a simple Kannad Brahmin family November 4,1929 . Her father's name was Bishawmitra Mani .

Her unique distinctive and divine quality was showing visibility since the age of three. Her father was a circus performer. Her father was rebelled against becoming a temple priest . Ms Devi was also an astrologer and gave remedies purportedly based on date and time of birth. 

  Once she casted a spell by adding 16-digit number with another one and multiplied the result with any of numbers almost instantaneously. After that she found cube root of the the resultant with a speed of electric current. This miracle talent earned her a place in the 1982 edition of 'The Guinness Book of World Records'. She had the ingenious potential to tell the day of the week of any given date in the last century in a jiffy.

Out many example I remember one that took place at Imperial College in  in London where she answered in 28 seconds when she was asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers.

Her father noticed her powerful calculation abilities while Ms. Devi was playing cards with him. She used to beat her father not by sleight of hand but by  memorising the cards. Her father left the circus and took her on road shows that displayed her ability at calculation. The most important thing was that she did this without any formal education.

In 1944, Devi went to London with her father

at the age of 15. She returned to home country India in the mid-1960s. She  married Paritosh Bannerji, an IAS officer from Kolkata. They, however, divorced in 1979. On November 4, 2013, Devi was honored with a Google Doodle for for her 84th birthday;which she missed to celebrate.

In April 2013, Devi was admitted to a hospital in Bangalore with respiratory problems. Over the following two weeks she suffered from complications of the heart and kidneys. She died in the hospital on April 21, 2013.  She was 83 years old. She is survived by her daughter, Anupama Banerji.

In her books, She described a world where marriage was obsolete and relationships were personal relationships, with no place for the term "marriage".

In her astrological text, The World of Homosexuals, she wrote:

"Homosexuals, or Homo, are a special case. They don't want to marry anyone, not even family, they don't want to have children. They are quite happy living individually; they do not have a special term for it. They are born as they wish. But they are in no hurry to settle down. They don't have any particular interest in settling down, they just let things come. If you see them living, don't ask them why they don't settle down; they will tell you that they are in no hurry to settle down and that they are in a world of their own, not their neighbour's".

She wrote books for people who wished to "live freely". She encouraged people to pursue the pleasures they wanted to experience, even if they were not approved of by their family. She wrote in The World of Homosexuals:

"There is still a place for marriage; it is a long ceremony which comes after sexual freedom has been enjoyed".

She encouraged people to make their own rules, and told people to live by their own rules. This was a contradiction to the concept of marriage. However, what she did was to give a different meaning to the word "marriage". She gave a new meaning to the word "marriage". She gave marriage a positive meaning. She wrote in one of her books:

"Marriage can be likened to a marriage certificate. It is a document which gives legal identity to a relationship, a record of the relationship, a contract between two individuals so that they have pledged allegiance to each other in life and death, and a contract with their children".

The concept of marriage and the concept of the marriage certificate had a different implication. It was a contract between two individuals who committed themselves to each other in life and death.

Marriage became a contract between two individuals, not between two families nor between two governments.

In her book, The World of Homosexuals, she wrote: "Marriage is a contract between two individuals who commit themselves to each other to enjoy life and to see both their children and their loved ones through thick and thin, for the rest of their lives, whether they like it or not".

She wrote in another book:

"In marriage, we are choosing to give our children a living record of our marital experience and experience of their childhood; and, we are pledging our loyalty to ourselves. It is a self-destructive pledge that if we do not get it right, if we are not sufficiently devoted to our children, then their future would be a waste. Finally they may well suffer unnecessarily. The marriage contract is a contract between two people who pledge allegiance to themselves and then pledge allegiance to their children in future. If we live by our contract, whether we like it or not, then our children will be blessed by what they experience of the relationship that they are blessed with through their father and mother's experience".

She concluded with a powerful and profound statement:

"If you find yourself in a relationship where the contract you agreed to is not being honoured, do not break the contract, break away. Divorce is not a response to an irredeemable defect - divorce is a response to your inability to keep the pledge you made to your children".

When she wrote in The World of Homosexuals:

How to make a successful marriage - six prerequisites to a good, long-term, successful marriage.

"In marriage, you don't find a record of someone's marital experience. You find a record of someone's commitment and fidelity to his or her marriage partner; and, there is no greater commitment and fidelity than when you have one spouse committed and faithful unto death". And, this is why I love marriage! A lifetime partnership. A lifetime contract. A lifelong commitment. A lifetime loyalty. A life-long commitment. Marriage is the most sacred of all long-term commitments. And, this is why the institution of marriage is not only the oldest, but also the most sacred.

Marriage is a contract for the duration the partnership and the marriage. It is a lifelong loyalty. It is a lifelong commitment. And, it is an experience and a relationship that must be lived-not just talked about!

I have no intention of belittling the love and commitment that some marriages, especially those of children, are blessed with. However, I don't subscribe to the view that love, loyalty and fidelity in a marriage are a sufficient reason to marry.   I think that there are other factors that are important to consider.  One gets married other than love and loyalty. I believe that the following factors need to be considered in deciding whether to marry:

Six Prerequisites for Successful Marriage Life are:

* Both Husband and wife should comply with the basic belief of Christianity or as per their religious belief.

* They should agree with their fundamental tenets (as it is understood and understood by the couple).

* They have to trust each other to live together happily, consistently as a couple (both with each other) .

* The couple must enhance their loyalty so that they can live together without tension, contention, discord and disagreement (and in this case, disagree).

* The love and loyalty of the partners are enhanced with each other in proportion. It confirms that they are open-minded to each other's views. Open-mindedness and consistency is the hallmark of good, mature love. This is the quality of a couple that is committed to each other needs. It is good to promote the long-term success of marriage. This is the quality that ensures the success of the marriage (of the partners, the marriage and of its offspring).

* The love and loyalty of the prospective partners are enhanced with each other in proportion to the degree to which they can accept each other's shortcomings.

Conclusion:

It is to be noted that the above principles are only relevant if the prospective husband and wife are of legal age and of sound body condition. If the above criteria are not satisfied, the long-term happiness, success, and prosperity of the marriage are unlikely.

Please. It is not Kannad. it is Kannada. The Kannada ಡ is not equal to the Hindi ड़ in consonant pronouciation. It would be ದ್ and ದ್ . So it is ಕನ್ನಡ and not ಕನ್ನಡ್. there is a difference. 2. It is not Bishawmitra Mani. It is Vishwamitra Mani. There is no such word orpronounciation as Bishawmitra in Kannada.

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Shakuntala Devi Essay Example

• Pages: 4 (969 words)
• Published: November 26, 2016
• Type: Essay

Very few people around the world achieved what this wonder-woman did. A mathematical prodigy, also known as the 'human computer', Shakuntala Devi was known for her complex problem-solving skills without the aid of any mechanical device. During her early years, she shot to fame by mentally calculating one of the toughest mathematical multiplications 10 seconds before the fastest and the most efficient computer of the time. Her problem-solving prowess came to the limelight with her performances at various institutions where she answered complex mathematical questions with great ease.

She soon rose to prominence for her adept calculations and her confident demeanor. According to many sources, this famous prodigy met Albert Einstein and even he was taken aback by this acclaimed genius' skills. She was able to answer all of his challenging mathematical problems,

prompting him to call her a "Mathematical Wizard". Apart from being an unparalleled mathematician, Devi was also an astrologer, activist and a prolific writer, whose works went on to inspire millions of people. Some of her best-known works are 'Figuring: the Joy of Numbers', 'Astrology for You', 'Perfect Murder' and 'The World of Homosexuals'. Scroll further for more information on this intriguing personality.

Family Background & Early Years

Shakuntala Devi was born on November 4, 1929 in Bengaluru to an orthodox, Brahmin Kannadiga family. Her father refused to become a priest and instead, wanted to entertain others as a tight-rope walker. He thus became a circus artist and 3-year-old Shakuntala used to accompany him to the circus and often come back mesmerized with her father's performances. It was he who eventually introduced her to the world of

mathematics and taught her interesting card tricks that initiated her love for numbers.

News of her ability to solve difficult mathematical problems soon spread like wildfire and she enthralled audiences with her wit and card-tricks, while her father entertained them with rope-walking. By the age of 6, she had her first major show at the University of Mysore where she displayed her mathematical prowess by solving arithmetical problems, mental math questions and finding out complex square roots and cube roots within a few seconds. After a few more similar performances in a number of other institutes, she found success at Annamalai University at the age of 8, when she was finally acknowledged as a 'child prodigy'.

Recognition & Fame

Shakuntala Devi went for tours around the world through the 50s and performed in a number of institutions, theaters and even appeared on television. On September 27, 1973, she appeared on the BBC show, 'Nationwide' with the popular Bob Wellings, who was stunned when she managed give the right answers to all the mathematical questions that he bombarded her with. Gradually, her skills and her fan-following grew substantially. In 1977, she received a standing ovation from an audience of erudite mathematicians, when she gave the answer of the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds. The most powerful computer at the time, took exactly 62 seconds.

Unlike many other child prodigies, her mathematical skills did not wane in her teenage and adult years. Back home, word spread that a young girl captivated audiences with her adept mathematical skills and Devi soon became extremely famous in India as well. Thereafter, she

was invited to the Imperial College, London, on June 18, 1980, where she answered a challenging problem in just a few seconds leaving the audience baffled. The fame of this 16-year-old whiz-kid grew manifold when she beat one of the world's fastest computers by 10 seconds, while multiplying two 13-digit numbers in 28 seconds.

Major Works * 'Puzzles to Puzzle You' is considered one of Shakuntala Devi's best works for aspiring and budding mathematicians. Critics have rated this book as one of the best reads for people who want to excel in the field of mathematics and master the secrets of the subject. A book meant for starters, this publication sold over 6,000 copies in its first week and continues to be an inspiration for many.

* 'Perfect Murder', authored by this mathematical wizard, is the tale of a successful lawyer-turned-killer and is regarded as a fine work of fiction. Translated in a few regional languages, 'Perfect Murder' put her in the spotlight for her literary abilities as well. * 'The World of Homosexuals', published in 1977, went almost unnoticed in the beginning due to its bold content and the country's inhospitable outlook to such a controversial issue. However, with the onset of a new cultural wave, the book soon began to gather some attention and was included in the 'Top 100 books by Indian authors' in 2005. Awards & Achievements

* Shakuntala Devi won the 'Distinguished Woman of the Year Award' in 1969, from the University of Philippines along with a gold medal. * In 1988, she was honored with the 'Ramanujan Mathematical Genius Award' in Washington D.C., conferred to her

by the-then Indian Ambassador to US. * Her name was listed in the '1995 Guinness Book of World Records' edition for her outstanding mathematical feat where she beat the world's fastest computer at multiplying two thirteen digit numbers. * A month before her death, she was honored with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' in Mumbai, in 2013. Personal Life & Legacy

Shakuntala Devi married Paritosh Banerjee, an IAS officer from Kolkata, in the mid-1960s. The couple however, separated in 1979 and she returned to Bangalore with her daughter during the 80s. She soon began offering astrological advice to countless people, including celebrities and politicians. Towards the end of her life, Devi grew frail and was admitted to various hospitals of Bangalore, countless times. She was admitted to Bangalore Hospital on April 3 after she complained of respiratory problems. Her health soon began to deteriorate after her kidneys failed and she breathed her last on April 21, 2013. She is survived by her daughter, son-in-law and two grand-children. She set up 'Educational Foundation Public Trust' to promote mathematical, astrological and philosophical studies in Bangalore.

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Hindi Essay/Paragraph/Speech on “Shakuntala Devi” , ”शकुंतला देवी” Complete Hindi Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

शकुंतला देवी

Shakuntala Devi

भारत : मानव कंप्यूटर

भारत की शकुंतला देवी विश्व के उन दुर्लभ चरित्रों में से एक हैं, जो कुछ असाधारण और हैरतअंगेज विशेषताएं लेकर उत्पन्न होते हैं। शकुंतला देवी बचपन से ही गणित के कठिन से कठिन सवाल चुटकी बजाते ही हल करने लगी थीं। इसलिए उनके पिता ने उन्हें शिक्षा दिलाने की आवश्यकता महसूस नहीं की। उल्टे शकुंतला की अलौकिक प्रतिभा का स्थान-स्थान पर जाकर प्रदर्शन करना प्रारंभ कर दिया। इससे शकुंतला की ख्याति चारों ओर फैली। आज वह दुनिया की महान गणितज्ञ मानी जाती हैं।

शकुंतला देवी को बी.बी.सी. ने लंदन आमंत्रित कर उनके कार्यक्रम को टेलीविजन पर – प्रसारित किया। इसके बाद कई देशों में उनकी प्रतिभा का प्रदर्शन हुआ। जगह-जगह उनसे ऐसे जटिल सवाल पूछे जाने लगे, जिनके उत्तर आम तौर पर कंप्यूटर द्वारा ही दिए जा सकते हैं। लेकिन शकुंतला इन सवालों का जबाव तुरंत अपने मस्तिष्क से दे देती। इसलिए उन्हें ‘मानव कंप्यूटर’ कहा जाने लगा। उन्हें ‘गिनेस बुक ऑफ वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड में भी स्थान मिला है।

18 जून, 1980 को लंदन में शकुंतला देवी ने 13 अंकों वाली दो संख्याओं का गुणनफल मात्र 28 सेकंड में निकाल दिया था। संख्या थी – 1894766817799 और 5426462773730। यह सवाल उनसे इंपीरियल कॉलेज के कंप्यूटर विभाग द्वारा अकस्मात् पूछा गया था। इससे पूर्व सन् 1976 में उन्होंने अमरीका में कई जटिलतम सवालों के उत्तर पलक झपकते ही प्रस्तुत कर वैज्ञानिकों को आश्चर्यचकित कर दिया था। आज उनके कंप्यूटर-मस्तिष्क का जबाव नहीं है। अब वह गणित के साथ ज्योतिष में भी अपनी विलक्षण प्रतिभा का उपयोग कर रही हैं।

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