The purpose of the mela is to make students recognise the underlying pattern of mathematics in every phenomenon around us, say organisers.
Mathematics is something students fear and wish to run away from, however, the purpose of the mela is to make students experience the joy of mathematics and embrace it, said Suseela Santosh, Director of Vishwa Vidyapeeth.
She was speaking at a press conference about the Ganitha Mela being organised by Vishwa Vidyapeeth from Dec. 18 to Dec. 22 at Takshashila Campus, Yelahanka. It is being organised in association with Seed2Sapling Education and The Academy Trust, Indian Academy of Sciences (tAcT).
“Students will have the opportunity to interact with scientists and educators through harates, an informal way of communication. The aim is to make math accessible and simple to all,” said Subhankar Biswas, Executive Secretary, The Academy Trust, Indian Academy of Sciences (tAcT).
Cultural and entertainment events such as plays, classical dance, and music and magic shows will be organised to make the students realise the underlying patterns of mathematics in every phenomenon, said Pankaj Jain, Director, Seed2Sapling Education. “Math is everywhere even if we don’t realise it. The intention of the mela is to teach the practical application of mathematics to students beyond the classrooms,” he said.
The mela will be held from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day and is open to the public. The visitors must register online for the event, however, there is no registration fee. “The mela is also an opportunity for the students to familiarise themselves with the life stories of mathematicians and scientists and thus take inspiration from them and learn humility,” said V.S.S. Sastry, math communicator.
Aparna, a math teacher said that for any subject including mathematics, it is important that the students not just have knowledge about the concepts but also understand it. “This can be achieved through practical exposure to students through activities and games, where they feel more involved,” she said.
“When you understand the concepts behind mathematics and start appreciating the beauty of the phenomena around you, you will no longer fear it,” said Biswas.
The event coincides with the commemoration of National Mathematics Day which celebrates the birth anniversary of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Math-based activities, exhibitions, film shows, flashmobs, and cultural and entertainment programmes will be organised as part of the mela.
