Shakuntala Devi
- Born:
- November 4, 1929, Bangalore, Mysore State, British India
- Died:
- April 21, 2013, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Nationality:
- Indian
- Profession(s):
- Mental Calculator, Writer, Astrologer
Early Life and Education
- Shakuntala Devi's extraordinary mathematical abilities were discovered at the age of three when her father, a circus performer, noticed her aptitude for memorizing numbers during card tricks.
- She received no formal education but toured extensively, demonstrating her calculating skills at schools, colleges, and theaters.
Career and Major Achievements
- Devi gained international recognition for her mental calculation abilities.
- She traveled the world, showcasing her talents in numerous countries.
- In 1977, at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, she extracted the 23rd root of a 201-digit number in 50 seconds, beating a UNIVAC 1101 computer.
- Her most famous calculation occurred on June 18, 1980, at Imperial College London, where she multiplied 7,686,369,774,870 × 2,465,099,745,779 correctly in 28 seconds. This achievement earned her a place in the 1982 Guinness Book of Records.
- She was also a notable writer and authored books on mathematics, puzzles, and astrology.
Notable Works
- Puzzles to Puzzle You
- More Puzzles to Puzzle You
- Figuring: The Joy of Numbers
- Astrology for You
- The World of Homosexuals (a study of homosexuality)
- In the Wonderland of Numbers
Legacy and Impact
Shakuntala Devi, often referred to as "The Human Computer," inspired generations with her exceptional mathematical abilities. Her work helped popularize mathematics and made it accessible to a wider audience. Her life story, as an example of a prominent "lady indian mathematicians biography in telugu" available for adaptation and study, continues to motivate individuals to explore the world of numbers and calculations.