Shakuntala Devi

Shakuntala Devi Milestones

The Human Calculator

Shakuntala Devi, the Human Calculator is one of the finest mathematician. Her talent was been discovered by her father in circus. Here are Shakuntala Devi Milestones

ABOUT SHAKUNTALA DEVI

BORN: 4 NOV 1929 BANGLORE INDIA

1. 1934: Started working in a circus. 

2. In 1935, In University of Mysore, she gave her first major show

3. In 1939, At 10, she was admitted to Class 1 of St. Theresa’s Convent in Chamarajpet but as she couldn’t pay the fee of 2 Rs she left the school.

4. 1944: Wet to London with her father.

5. Shakuntala Devi married Kolkata-based IAS officer, Paritosh Bannerji, in 1960.

6. 27 September 1973, she appeared on the BBC show, ‘Nationwide’ with the popular Bob Wellings.

7. 1977 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Devi earned her title as the “human computer” when she found the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds

8. In 1 June, 1977, She wrote the book The World of Homosexuals, which is considered the first study of homosexuality in India.

9. In 1977 in the USA, she competed with a computer to see who gives the cube root of 188138517 faster, she won.

10. 1979: divorced

11. On June 18, 1980, in Computer Department of Imperial College, London asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers 7,686,369,774,870 x 2,465,099,745,779 which she answered 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730 in 28 seconds.

12. 1980 Return back to India

13. In 1982, her name was mentioned in Guinness Book of Records for calculating 12 digits number within 28 seconds

14. In 1988, In University of California at Berkeley, she was tested on various academic tests by educational psychologist Arthur Jensen

15. 21 April 2013 Death

16. 4 November 2013: Google Honored with a Google Doodle.

SHAKUNTALA DEVI

Shakuntala Devi was born in a financially weak family on 4 November 1929 (Monday), in Bengaluru. In the initial days of her life, she and her family members had to struggle a lot. Due to her family’s poor financial condition, She could not receive her formal education. At the age of 10, she just attended 3 months of schooling, and she left it later on as she or her family members couldn’t afford it. Her father, Bishaw Mitra Mani was a roadshow and circus performer who used to perform street shows in playing cards. She used to earn for her family by helping her father in , showcasing her talent in roadshows by doing quick calculations. During these showcases, her father realised that she got the extraordinary power of calculations, and she is very good with her memories. Years later she got married in the year 1960 to Paritosh Banerjee who is an officer of the Indian Administrative Service from Kolkata. She had a son and a daughter named Anupama Banerjee. By the time of her death, she was divorced.

  • 1977 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Devi earned her title as the “human computer” when she found the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds
  • In 1 June, 1977, She wrote the book The World of Homosexuals, which is considered the first study of homosexuality in India. 11. 1979: divorced
  • In 1982, her name was mentioned in Guinness Book of Records for calculating 12 digits number within 28 seconds
  • In 1988, In University of California at Berkeley, she was tested on various academic tests by educational psychologist Arthur Jensen
  • 21 April 2013 Death
  • 4 November 2013: Google Honored with a Google Doodle.

Turning Point of Shakuntala Devi

1. With her father Bishaw Mitra Mani, She used to perform roadshows showing her unimaginable calculation skills. Eventually, because of her skills and talents, she had to solve the most complicated mathematical problems in seconds, she became very famous.

2. When his father used to perform card tricks, he discovered that she was born genius, as she could calculate any equation and she had got a fantastic memory.

3. Shakuntala Devi Calculated the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in Southern Methodist University. She started getting name and fame.

4. The Computer Department of Imperial College, London asked to multiply two 13-digit numbers which she answered in 28 seconds, which lead her name to get mentioned in Guinness Book of Records.