Ramanujan’s Health and Death at Age 32
Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887–1920) was one of the greatest mathematical minds in history, yet his life was tragically short. He died at the age of 32, leaving the world to wonder what more he could have achieved. His declining health and early death resulted from a combination of poverty, malnutrition, cultural displacement, intense intellectual labor, and limited medical knowledge of the early twentieth century.
Health Condition Before Cambridge
Before traveling to England in 1914, Ramanujan lived in extreme poverty in India. He suffered from:
- Irregular and insufficient meals
- Chronic physical weakness
- Severe mental stress
However, there is no strong evidence that he suffered from a clearly diagnosed major illness during this period.
Health Deterioration in England (1914–1919)
Ramanujan’s health worsened significantly during his years at Cambridge University.
Climate Shock
The cold and damp English climate was extremely difficult for Ramanujan, who had grown up in the warm tropical environment of Tamil Nadu. Frequent exposure to cold weakened his immune system.
Severe Dietary Problems
Ramanujan was a strict vegetarian. During World War I, food shortages in England made it extremely difficult for him to maintain a balanced vegetarian diet. This led to serious malnutrition and vitamin deficiency.
Mental and Emotional Stress
Ramanujan worked obsessively, often without rest. He also faced cultural isolation, racial prejudice, and the pressure to provide rigorous proofs for his intuitive mathematical results. These factors contributed to physical and emotional collapse.
Hospitalization and Chronic Illness
From 1917 onwards, Ramanujan was repeatedly hospitalized in England. He suffered from:
- Persistent fever
- Chronic cough
- Severe weight loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Depression
Doctors at the time suspected tuberculosis. Modern medical historians believe his illness may have included a combination of tuberculosis, amoebic liver infection, and prolonged malnutrition.
Mathematical Creativity During Illness
Remarkably, some of Ramanujan’s deepest mathematical ideas were developed while he was gravely ill. During this period, he introduced concepts later known as mock theta functions.
Even while bedridden, Ramanujan continued to send letters filled with new mathematical discoveries to G. H. Hardy.
Return to India and Final Decline
In 1919, Ramanujan returned to India hoping that the warm climate and familiar food would help his recovery. Although there was temporary improvement, his health never fully recovered. Repeated relapses followed, leaving him extremely weak.
Death in Madras (1920)
Srinivasa Ramanujan died on 26 April 1920 in Madras (now Chennai).
- Age: 32 years
- Cause of death: Complications from chronic illness, likely tuberculosis combined with severe malnutrition
His death shocked the international mathematical community.
Reaction of the Mathematical World
G. H. Hardy mourned Ramanujan deeply and later wrote that Ramanujan was “one of the greatest mathematicians of all time.” Hardy ranked Ramanujan’s natural talent alongside that of Euler, Gauss, and Jacobi.
The Unfulfilled Potential
Ramanujan’s early death raises one of the greatest unanswered questions in scientific history:
What more could Ramanujan have achieved if he had lived longer?
His notebooks suggest that many of his ideas were decades ahead of their time and are still being explored by mathematicians today.
Legacy Beyond His Short Life
Despite his brief life, Ramanujan left behind:
- More than 30 research papers
- Thousands of unpublished formulas
- A lasting influence on number theory and mathematical physics
His life proves that the depth of impact matters more than the length of life.
Conclusion
Srinivasa Ramanujan’s death at the age of 32 was a tragic loss to humanity. Yet within those short years, he achieved mathematical immortality. His life stands as a reminder that genius can shine brightly even under the harshest conditions.
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