First freight train operated in India in 1851

 

Transportation by freight rail allowed great distances to be travelled in shorter periods of time than ever before. Goods and cargo could be transported across the country, and this technology greatly increased the manufacturing business.

It was on 22 December in 1851 that the first freight train was operated in India. In comparison, rail transportation began almost three decades earlier in the United States.

The first railroad in India was meant to haul construction materials. The journey was from Roorkee, now in Uttarakhand, to Piran Kaliyar, about ten kilometres away. The freight train was used to transport materials necessary to build the Ganga Canal at the time.

 

Then, the system developed in order to operate passenger rail lines. Passenger rails began operating in India in April 1853, which led to a bustling rail industry in the country. India now has the 4th largest rail network in the world. Annually, the country transports over 100 million tons of goods and 10 billion passengers.

Winter Solstice

 

Winter Solstice occurs on 22 December. The winter solstice, also known as - the hibernal solstice, or the Shortest Day, or the Longest Night, is the shortest day and longest night of the year. It happens when one of the Earth's poles has its maximum tilt away from the Sun. After the winter solstice, the days start to get longer again. The winter solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years by people all over the world. It is seen as a time of rebirth, when the Sun 'dies' and is reborn. For many cultures, it is a time of feasting and celebration. It is also a time for giving thanks for the bounty of the earth.

Srinivasa Ramanujan's Birth Anniversary

 

Srinivasa Ramanujan born on 22 December 1887, was an Indian mathematician who lived during the British Rule in India. Though he had almost no formal training in pure mathematics, he made substantial contributions to mathematical analysis, number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions, including solutions to mathematical problems then considered unsolvable. Ramanujan initially developed his own mathematical research in isolation: "He tried to interest the leading professional mathematicians in his work, but failed for the most part. What he had to show them was too novel, too unfamiliar, and additionally presented in unusual ways; they could not be bothered". Seeking mathematicians who could better understand his work, in 1913 he began a postal partnership with the English mathematician G. H. Hardy at the University of Cambridge, England. Recognizing Ramanujan's work as extraordinary, Hardy arranged for him to travel to Cambridge. In his notes, Ramanujan had produced groundbreaking new theorems, including some that Hardy said had "defeated him and his colleagues completely", in addition to rediscovering recently proven but highly advanced results.

National Mathematics Day (India)

 

National Mathematics Day is celebrated every year on December 22, marking the birth anniversary of the legendary Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. While this day commemorates his immense contributions during his lifetime to mathematics, it reminisces about the importance of mathematics in daily life and how it modernised society.

National Mathematics Day: History

It was officially launched by then Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh in December 2012, in conjunction with the 125th birth anniversary of S. Ramanujan. This was done in a bid to ensure that the generations to come in India emulate others by endeavouring in mathematics.

Ramanujan was born in 1887 and, in his short life span till the age of 32 years, he made outstanding findings in number theory, infinite series and continued fractions.

National Mathematics Day: Significance

National Mathematics Day is significant as it pays tribute to the contributions of Ramanujan and inspires future generations of mathematicians.

The curriculum encourages appreciation of the subject of mathematics beyond mere rote learning, developing an understanding and interest in it.

The day is supposed to showcase the role of mathematics in activities forming the core of technology, engineering, economics and health care.

Different activities and competitions are held so that, through the means of mathematics, students may develop critical thinking and analyse any problem.