Shakuntala Devi: The Marvelous indian Human Computer
Get ready to be inspired by the incredible story of Shakuntala Devi, a mathematical prodigy who earned the awe-inspiring title of the “Human Computer”! Born on November 4, 1929, Shakuntala displayed her extraordinary talent at an astonishingly young age, showcasing her ability to add numbers at lightning speed.
Imagine this: at just three years old, she was already dazzling everyone with her math skills! By the time she turned five, she was solving complex problems that would stump an 18-year-old, leaving her family and relatives in utter disbelief. Shakuntala’s father, Nanak Chand, a circus performer known for his daring tightrope acts, nurtured her remarkable gifts as they entertained guests with clever magic tricks at home.
Her brilliance didn’t go unnoticed. At six, she captivated an audience at the University of Mysore, wowing them with her phenomenal memory and calculation abilities. Just a couple of years later, at eight, she was performing thrilling mathematical magic at Annamalai University in Tamil Nadu, earning thunderous applause for her astounding math games.
In a stunning turn of events, Shakuntala took a trip to Dallas, USA, in 1977, where she competed against a computer in a contest. She blew everyone away by solving a cube root challenge in just fifty seconds! That was just the beginning. She famously found the 23rd square root of a massive 201-digit number using only her mind, perfectly calculating the product of two enormous numbers—7,686,369,774,870 multiplied by 2,465,099,745,779—in an astonishing twenty-eight seconds. Talk about impressive!
Her extraordinary feats continued at London’s Imperial College, where she grabbed the spotlight in 1980 by securing a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for multiplying 13 numbers in a mere 28 seconds. This unprecedented speed and accuracy cemented her reputation as the “Human Computer.”
In 1988, researchers further tested her incredible abilities, and once again, she soared beyond expectations, solving complex problems faster than they could be written down. But Shakuntala’s talents didn’t stop at numbers; she was also an accomplished author! Her engaging books, including *Awaken the Genius in Your World*, *In the Wonderland of Numbers*, *Book of Numbers*, and *Super Memory: It Could Be Yours*, inspire countless readers to embrace the joy of learning.
She explained her fascinating mathematical methods in her insightful book, *Figuring: The Joy of Numbers*, published in 1977.
Despite her remarkable journey, Shakuntala’s life came to a close on April 21, 2013, at the age of 83, due to heart complications. However, her legacy lives on, as the Shakuntala Devi Educational Foundation Public Trust continues to honor her contributions to mathematics and education.
Shakuntala Devi was truly a genius who captivated the world with her speed and skill, leaving an indelible mark on the realm of mathematics.
