Nationality Indian Alma mater University of Bombay Fields Analytic number theory | Name Kanakanahalli Ramachandra Died 2011 | |
Born August 18, 1933Mandya, Mysore Princely State ( 1933-08-18 ) Doctoral students T. N. ShoreyRamachandran BalasubramanianA. SankaranayananK. Srinivas Books Lectures on the Mean-value and Omega-theorems for the Riemann Zeta-function Notable students | ||
Doctoral advisor K. G. Ramanathan | ||
Kanakanahalli Ramachandra (August 18, 1933 – January 17, 2011) was an Indian mathematician working in both analytic and algebraic theory of numbers. He was one of the world's greatest number theoreticians in his time.
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Early career
After his father's death at age 13, he had to look for a job. Ramachandra worked as a clerk at the Minerva Mills where Ramachandra's father had also worked. In spite of taking up a job quite remote from mathematics, Ramachandra studied number theory all by himself in his free time; especially the works of Ramanujan.
Ramachandra completed his graduation and post graduation from Central College, Bangalore.
Later, he worked as a lecturer in BMS College of Engineering. Ramachandra also served a very short stint of only six days as a teacher in the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
Ramachandra went to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Bombay, for his graduate studies in 1958. He obtained his Ph.D. from University of Mumbai in 1965; his doctorate was guided by K. G. Ramanathan.
Later career
Between the years 1965 and 1995 he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and after retirement joined the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore where he worked till 2011, the year he died. During the course of his lifetime, he published over 200 articles, of which over 170 have been cataloged by Mathematical Reviews.
His work was primarily in the area of prime number theory, working on the Riemann zeta function and allied functions. Apart from prime number theory, he made substantial contributions to the theory of transcendental number theory, in which he is known for his proof of the six exponentials theorem, achieved independently of Serge Lang. He also contributed to many other areas of number theory.
In 1978 he founded the Hardy–Ramanujan journal, and published it on behalf of the Hardy–Ramanujan society until his death.