Have you ever heard of a teen who was not only a revolutionary but has also revolutionised mathematician in one sense? A teenager who participated actively in politics as well as in math. Just near the age of 18, he made fundamental discoveries in the theory of polynomial equations.
These equations subsequently resulted in Galois theory and are considered an outstanding contribution in mathematics. Unfortunately, the teenager who contributed to math at such an early stage died at the age of 20. He was a French mathematician and political revolutionary. He was born on 25th October 1811 and died on 31st May 1832.
When I was about 11 years old, I fell in love with the quest for knowledge. Stories about science, biology, chemistry, history, geography, religion, philosophy, spirituality etc., were highly fascinating to me. Unfortunately, my school syllabus was insufficient to appease my desire to know as much as I could. So, naturally, I was always in search of books.
One blessed day, one of my friends gave me Vigyan Pragati magazine. I instantly fell in love with that as it appeased my quest to a great extent. Over time, I also started reading many other magazines like Avishkar, Science Reporter etc.
I read many good articles and scholarly essays on various aspects of science. But the only story which struck my mind was the story of a teenage mathematician named Evariste Galois, published in Vigyan Pragati.
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Right from my childhood, he remains a great source of inspiration. If a teenager could do so many things in his life, why could not I? But the sad part of this story is that hardly anybody in India knows about this teenage mathematician, whose story is sufficient to inspire many teenagers in India.
His remarkable story of extraordinary intelligence, failure and post-death success, courage, and unnecessary misadventure has always been ingrained in my soul. But unfortunately, the most misfortunate part of his life is his death.
His contribution to mathematics was never recognised in his life. His research was declined and failed by the mathematicians then. But he remained dedicated in his research irrespective of his unsuccess, and of course, his persistence resulted in recognition of his work post-death.
Such was the genius he was. I always felt a burden on me to bring his story to all. Now I am unburdening myself by telling his story to my countrymen.
He was born on 25th October 1811 at Bourg-la-Reine of the then French Empire. His father, Nicolas-Gabriel Galois, was a republican and politically active. He was also appointed as Mayor of his village when Evariste was three years old.
In those days, his father’s activity in politics made him politically interested since his early days. His mother, Adélaïde-Marie, was the daughter of a jurist and had an avid appetite for Latin and classic literature.
A famous quotation from one of the Greatest Indian Freedom fighters Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose that if someone wants his nation to be great, great mothers are required. Similar was the case of Evariste. His earlier education remained under the close guidance of his learned mother until he was 12 years old.
At 14 years he started showing his keen interest in mathematics. It is a time when the mind of a teenager remains occupied with a fanciful story of an unrealistic dream. However, his mind was moving on just a different track.
He started reading research papers of well-known mathematicians just like a novel in one go. In 1828, when he was still a teenager, he tried to clear entrance to the most premier institutions of France on those days, namely École Polytechnique, but he failed.
He was left with no other option but to take admission in a much inferior institution, where he showed his extraordinary merit to a few of his professors.
In the coming year, i.e. in the year 1829, one major tragedy happened in his life, which was his father’s death. Because of great conflict between his father and the then priest of his village, his father died by suicide.
What could be the effect of the death of a father on a teenager? It is natural but emotional devastation. The same was with the case of Evariste. The untimely death of his father affected him badly. He could not enjoy the right of unfettered imagination, which usually a teenager mind is entitled to.
Irrespective of tragic incidence in his life, he continued reflecting on his intelligence in his institutions. At times professors could not comprehend his ideas. Once, the examiner observed that Evariste was a student of great merit, having an extraordinary orientation for research.
And his examiner was right. He kept on working on his research works. Soon he sent his research works to the Academy of Sciences, Augustin-Louis Cauchy, but was declined. He tried to get recognition for his work but never got the same in his lifetime.
He was not only active in math but also politics. His father’s political activities and untimely death due to conflict with a village priest made him politically aggressive. He often published blistering articles against the then prevailing political system in the country.
He was also a member of artillery of the National Guard, which was disbanded by the then Ruler, fearing that the organisation might destabilise the Government.
The strangest part of his story is that he died in a duel. There was a custom prevalent in France that if someone invited an opponent for a duel and the opponent accepted it. They had to shoot each other, standing at a considerable distance from each other.
Evariste was challenged for a duel which he accepted, and the opponent shot him in the abdomen. The injury caused because of that shot ultimately resulted in his death. It is not the tragic incident of his life that has been hovering around in my mind for long, but his fight for recognition, his desire to resist, his persistence towards his goal made him my favourite.
Featured image is for representational purposes.