Teaching of history of Mathematics in Indian University

Abstract

At the present situation in India almost every teacher of mathematics has a feeling that their pupils in general are no longer interested in the cold logic of geometrical demonstration given in the classes. The main reason for this attitude perhaps is due to the fact that a very meagre percentage of students coming out of the universities and colleges get further facilities to work in the higher field of mathematics either as a research scholar or as a teacher. It must be frankly admitted that when a student cuts off connection with university for a number, of years, after a university degree is obtained, he forgets everything of mathematical jugglery he had once acquired in the university. The reason for this is that there is no powerful binding force which the students may visualize from wider perspectives. The study of history of mathematics may act as such a binding force. Hence it is to be of interest if we discuss in the paper three things, viz. the facilities that may be accrued from the study of history of mathematics, activities on history of mathematics in European countries, and some suggestions towards teaching of the subject in the Indian Universities.