Vashishtha Narayan Singh: The Tragic Tale of India’s Lost Mathematical Genius
News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/27th August 2024
Vashishtha Narayan Singh, hailing from the humble village of Basantpur in Bihar, is remembered as one of India’s most extraordinary intellectuals. Born in 1942, Singh displayed remarkable talent from a young age, securing top ranks in his BSc and MSc exams in consecutive years. His exceptional abilities earned him a place among India’s brightest minds, leading to opportunities at prestigious institutions such as NASA, IIT, and the University of California, Berkeley. Despite his early promise and groundbreaking contributions, Singh’s journey took a tragic turn due to mental illness, transforming him from a potential successor to the legendary mathematician Ramanujan into a story of unfulfilled potential.
Singh’s genius was recognized internationally, with some reports suggesting that he challenged Albert Einstein’s famous theories. There are stories of his time at NASA, where he allegedly stepped in to perform complex calculations when the computers failed during a critical moment. It is also believed that Singh contributed to the Apollo missions, which were instrumental in landing astronauts on the moon. These achievements cemented his reputation as a mathematical prodigy on the global stage.
Singh’s rise to prominence is all the more remarkable given his humble beginnings. The son of a police constable, he began his academic journey at Netarhat School in Jharkhand. His extraordinary talent in mathematics soon caught the attention of educators at Patna Science College, where the principal recognized his potential and arranged for an accelerated education program. This path led Singh to the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his PhD in 1969.
After nearly a decade of research and study abroad, Singh returned to India, where he taught at some of the country’s most prestigious institutions, including IIT Kanpur, TIFR Mumbai, and ISI Kolkata. However, his promising career was derailed by schizophrenia, a condition that brought significant personal and professional challenges. His marriage ended in 1976, and by the mid-1980s, his mental health had deteriorated to the point where he was institutionalized for treatment.
The most tragic chapter of Singh’s life began when he mysteriously vanished during a train journey after being discharged from the hospital. For years, he was missing, and when he was finally found, he was living in poverty in his home village. Despite his earlier brilliance, Singh’s contributions to mathematics were largely forgotten, and he spent the remainder of his life battling his illness and the stigma associated with it.
In his later years, Singh received treatment at NIMHANS in Bengaluru and IHBAS in Delhi, with support from BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha. He eventually returned to academia at BNMU in Madhepura, though his genius was never fully realized due to the impact of his illness. Singh passed away on November 14, 2019, at the age of 72. His contributions to mathematics were posthumously recognized when he was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Vashishtha Narayan Singh’s life story is a poignant reminder of the fragility of genius. Despite his immense potential and early achievements, his battle with mental illness overshadowed his contributions, leaving behind a legacy of unfulfilled promise. While his work continues to inspire, his story also serves as a powerful testament to the need for greater understanding and support for those suffering from mental health challenges.
