From the Archives (October 20, 1921): A mathematical prodigy

Another Indian mathematical prodigy who has not yet reached his teens is now before the public. Rajanarayanan, son of Mr. Srinivasachari, Revenue Inspector, Saminullur, Madurai District, was in the midst of mathematicians in Madras a few days ago, who put to him all sorts of intricate questions of the B.A. standard and received ready and satisfactory answers and who admired the genius of the precocious boy. He was born on the 10th January 1911, and is studying in the Madras College nominally in the fourth form. But he is allowed full freedom to attend even the Intermediate classes. He was examined by Professors P.V. Seshu Iyer, S.R.U. Savoor, K. Ananda Rao and others. He is found to be well up in Elementary Euclid, and knows Algebra almost to the end. He is able to solve riders with very great facility. He knows all about Continued Fractions, Intermediate Equations and Binomial series. He is fairly conversant with Trigonometry and knows up to De Moivre’s theorems and also the application and expansion of Trinomials and infinite products.