LIFE:

Life and Works of PK Srinivasan, the Legendary Math Educator, who reflected, inspired and reformed the Math Education in India is an exemplary one. P.K Srinivasan (1924 - 2005), began his stint with the world of mathematics with a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics and began his journey as its propagator with a Master's degree in Education. Over a span of four decades, he held an unwavering torch for the spread and appreciation of Math education in India and all over the world.

PROFILE:

He laid special stress on the marriage of Math and Culture, and devoted himself to organizing math camps, clubs and conferences, both for teachers and students. He was of the belief that a true and successful teacher was one who never ceased to be student. He inspired the weaving of math into cultural programmes and fostered the math kit culture which aided a practical learning and evaluation of mathematics. Srinivasan believed in detecting and nurturing mathematics talent right in the pre-school. He was specially known for his innovative strategies in mathematics education and improvisation of learning aids in mathematics.

P.K Srinivasan was formerly a Fulbright Exchange teacher of Mathematics in USA and later a Senior Federal Education Officer and a Senior Lecturer in Mathematics in Nigeria . He was also a lecturer with NCERT Study Group during 68-70. He participated in the 4-yearly meets of ICME (International Congress on Mathematics Education) in various parts of the world since 1972. Post retirement, he was widely known for organizing Children's Math Expositions right from LKG to XII stages. He had organized over sixty math project expositions and fairs inclusive of inter school math project expositions all over India, USA and Nigeria . He organized State level conferences on Kolam and Mathematics and conducted workshops on Fuzzy Logic and Fractal Geometry to Higher Secondary school teachers to introduce them to new topics which were first of its kind. His pioneering work in recognizing the talent of primary level kids through setting of question paper and organizing PRIMARY MATH OLYMPIAD is being followed by various organizations till date.

CONTRIBUTION:

After returning from Nigeria in 1981 his service as Mathematics Education Consultant were availed by many Governmental agencies, State, Central, Private and Public education institutions all over India. He wrote popular Math articles for parents, children and general public, and they appeared periodically in several national dailies and regional papers like The Hindu, The New Indian Express and Dinamani, among others. Srinivasan encouraged the schools to bring out math articles as supplements to the school souvenir that goes to each household of the students.

FOUNDER:

The Failed Recognition - "Math Teacher whose Calculations went Wrong" -  Download PDF