The Alladi Diary

This is a kaleidoscopic account of the remarkable life story of Alladi Ramakrishnan (1923–2008), an internationally reputed physicist, and the son of Sir Alladi Krishnaswami Iyer (1883–1953), one of India's most eminent jurists. Part I of the autobiography gives a fascinating account his early life in Madras, India during the last decades of British colonial rule, and the leading role played by Sir Alladi in drafting the Constitution of India. Then follows the incredible saga of his creation of MATSCIENCE, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, in Madras, inspired by his visit to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the result of a Theoretical Physics Seminar which he organized in his family home Ekamra Nivas in Madras, which received the endorsement of Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr, and the support of India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Part II covers the period of Ramakrishnan's term as Director of MATSCIENCE, and his visits to about 200 centres of learning the world over, where he interacted with leading scientists and lectured on his research in the fields of Probability, Stochastic Processes, Elementary Particle Physics, Matrix Theory, and on his novel treatment of Einstein's Special Relativity. Historical photos, letters, and documents of special interest are included.Contents: Ekamra Nivas to Matscience: Early Memories Ekamra Nivas (1930–38) School to College — From Unreal Peace to Reality of War (1936–39) Social and Religious Environment of Ekamra Nivas Physics at College, The World at War (1940–41) War Rages on — The Nightmare is Real (1941–42) War Tide Turns — Crisis in India and in my Career (1942–43) Invasion of Europe — Sicily and Operation Overlord (1943–44) Total Victory and the Birth of the Atomic Era (1945) The Years of Decisions (1946–49) The Manchester Experience (1949–51) The Beautiful Years (1951–53) The Hallowed Years (1953–56): Australia and a Gift Therefrom Yukawa Hall and Round the World (1956) Prelude to Princeton (1956–57) The Princeton Experience (1957–58) The Year of Exile (1958–59) The Track of Destiny (1959–60) The Swiss Interlude (1960) Back to Ekamra Nivas (1960) A Web of Mingled Yarn (1961) The Birth of Matscience (1962) Matscience Visitors, Global Academic Travels, L-Matrix Theory and Space-Time Unity: RAND and Round the World (1962) From Infancy to Manhood (1963) My First Visit to Russia (1964) Visitors Galore and an European Serenade (1965) Syracuse and Round the World (1966) Round the World on L-Matrix Theory (1967) USA, Trieste, Russia and a Conference in Vienna (1968) Round the World for Me as Man Lands on the Moon (1969) A Divine Lease of Life (1970) USA, Christchurch, and IBM (1971) Eventful Sequel to World Travel (1971) Freewill and Destiny (1972) A Year of Opportunities (1973) The Spring of Hope (1974) Tidings From Trieste and California (1975) Trieste and U.C.L.A. (1975) A Year of Strange and Significant Events and America's Bicentennial (1976) Rhapsody in California (1977) Wedding Bells — La Trobe to Los Angeles, Madras to Ann Arbor (1978) The Einstein Centenary, and Strange Events in India (1979) The Tryst at Ann Arbor (1980) Promises Kept and Miles Traversed (1980) A Strange Melange of Stirring Events (1980) A Year of Divine Grace (1981) Trans-America (1982) MATSCIENCE 21 (1982–83) Transition to Tranquillity (1983–84) Relativity for All (1984) Kahala Dawn and Waikiki Sunset (1985) Will and Memory — Gifts of God to Mortal Man (1985) Good Morning America (1986) Sunshine in Florida and a New Light in Our Lives (1987) The Ramanujan Centenary and Pacific Serenades (1987–88) Round the World by SIA and TWA, To and Across the U.S.A. (1989) Time, the Supreme Alchemist (1989–90) A Year of Miracles (1990–91) The Ramanujan Connection (1991–92) Springtime in Our Hearts (1993) A Great Year for Human Destiny, and Springtime in Florida (1994) An Eventful Quarter, June–October 1994 Three Significant Developments (1995) Golden Memories (1996) Golden Anniversary of India's...