The Mathematics Initiative: by Sandip K. Dasverma

Any body who has anything to do with mathematics and Orissa, has definitely heard of Dr. Swadhinananda Pattnayak. He is presently the head of the Institute of Mathematics and Applications(IMA) at Bhubaneswar (BBSR). His work among the students, to inspire them to be brilliant students of Math and good human beings, is well known. He has his admirers sprinkled over the length and breadth of Orissa. Many of his students have earned National acclaim for their work and are now in various Universities of Orissa and outside. He is now up to spotting Math talent early - before rural talents lose out to urban ones, and wither, due to lack of timely encouragement and tuition mania which is distorting the picture. The Govt. of India’s policy of having competition to have math Olympiad selection process came handy. Through a general selections he picks up about 200 kids for last few years, through a state wide competition (participants nearly 5000) and holds a camp in Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa state. In the camp all these kids lived and interacted with hand picked math lecturers and learned that mathematics can be fun. Two mathematicians of repute, retired Vice Chancellor of Utkal, Dr. Gokulananda Das and retired Professor of IIT, Kanpur, Dr. P. C. Das, were lending their helping hand. Dr. Swadheen Patnaik and his wife Dr. Sumitra Patel both resid in the mathematics camp for the length of it. At the end of the camp many kids went back crying. Looking more like Ho Chi Minh, as he grows older, Swadheen is an inspiration for this whole movement, which includes thousands of his students and friends. Many of his old friends and students pitch in for the annual Mathematics camp. This year’s camp was a roaring success. Taking this opportunity Dr. Pattanaik obliged his old friend me, Sandip. I wanted to fund in the name of my father. He selected 30 students, 15 selected purely on the basis of merit, 6 girls and 9 Adivasi or Dalits (girls or boys). The beauty of the selection is it was evenly divided between coastal, western and southern Orissa, 10 each. Additionally, they consisted of 15 boys and 15 girls. These students selected, he commanded me, to award a scholarship of Rs. 1500 each for next 5 years(2004 to 2008). They have to maintain their standard of excellence in school and continue in Oriya medium Govt. schools. These scholarships, named were after Late Kamala Pada Das, my father. When the students graduate a fresh batch will start. Per the agreement between the old pals, my burden could go up next year to $ two thousand, then up to $five thousand per year in 5 years, when they stabilize. That is however if no one else is ready to pick up the tab next year. But I was lucky, two young men with great souls, Sri Purna Mohanty of Santa Clara, California and Alok Mahapatra of New Jersey have volunteered to pick up the tab for 2005(2005-2009) and 2006 respectively. Every one is exited. In this connection help and inspiration of Mr. Muthu Iyer, retired Chief Engineer of Bechtel is noteworthy. Mr. Iyer and his wife Getha are engaged in their life’s mission of supporting 100 poor, needy and meritorious students, through Engineering or/and Medical colleges providing full financial scholarship. He is 1/3 way through already.

I also remember what Gokulananda babu said the day I went to handover the personal letters, , addressed to the winners. He said, in presence of every one in that informal meeting at Math institute, and I quote: “ With what you have done, we will be able to take the participation from 5 thousand this year to 15 thousand next year, without doubt.” They were such soothing words to my soul... I thought may be I can pay off some of my debt to the people of Orissa, who nourished me in my formative years.

The list of selected students follows, in the original e-mail as it came from Dr. Pattnayak.

So another journey has started. They say bad people when they create network they become very powerful - a Mafia. My question has always been why can’t the good people get together with their good wishes and good sentiments, connect to each other through electronic network and produce things that are worthy? We can thus make this world a better place. Yes, it is possible and here is an example. I consider my self to be lucky to be part of it.

PS: During the recent camp, Swadhin spotted two kids, who were so poor that they could not even afford a shirt. To come to the camp they had borrowed a neighbor’s shirt. He informed me and I could find a volunteer in Sri Surajit Amrit, Richland, WA, who has funded them with Rs.1500 each for this year. I am hoping he will fund them till they graduate from school for the next four years.

Dear Sandip,

As required by you we are sending you a list of 30 children selected on basis of a mathematics test on 21 Sept. 2003. Of this 30, fifteen are selected purely in the basis of merit. Of the rest, six are girls & nine are dalits.

They are to be given the scholarships for 5 years subject to the condition that they perform well in each subsequent class examinations & do not change to private schools. If you can write to each of them a personal letter, it will nice.

WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR-2004.

Looking forward to meeting in India,

Sincerely yours,

Swadheen.

1. Subhashree Laxmipriya, C/o-Ramachandra Sandha.,

At/Po-Parichhala,

Dist-Khurda-752062,

Ph-95674-2332395

2. Himalaya Senapati. C/o-Niranjan Senapati

At-Palli, Po-Atu

Dist-Bhadrak-756123

3. Manoj Ranjan Parija. C/o-Jayanta Ku. Parija,

At-Khambakul, Po-Sangrampur

Dist-Jagatsinghpur,

Ph-06724-238715

4. Srabana Kumar Dash, C/o-Sukant Ku. Dash,

At-Bedipur, Po Chakajagarnnathpur

Dist-Balasore-756043,

Ph-280044

5. Sribachha Kumar De., C/o-Biswajit De,

At/Po-Bandhadiha

Dist-Jajpur-755005

6. Gunasagar Kisan, C/o-Karunakar Kisan,

At-Kukma, Po-Ku. Jamankira

Dist-Sambalpur-768222

7. Gyanesh Ranjan Satpathi, C/o-Santosh Ku. Satpathi,

At/Po-Khaprakhol

Dist- Bolangir

8. Ranjeet Ku. Routray, C/o-Trinath Routray,

At-Gadamunda, Po-C.A. Chipilima

Dist-Sambalpur-768025,

Ph-0663-2460812

9. Ajad Kumar Patel, C/o-Hari Prasad Patel,

At-/Po-Laichaguna

Dist-Sambalpur-768222,

Ph-95663-2006082

10. Sikta Manjori Patel, C/o-Kailash Ch. Patel,

At-Po-Tainsar

Dist-Sambalpur-768227

11. Sakti Prasad Das, Umaprasad. Das,

At-Kudisiala Colony, Gunupur

Po-Marathiguda,

Dist-Rayagada-765022

12. Satish Kumar Mahakuda, C/o-Pratap Ch. Mahakuda,

At/Po-Onukadelli

Dist-Koraput-764042

13. Jagarnnath Panigrahi, C/o-Gadadhar Panigrahi,

At-Railway Station Road, Gunupur,

Po-Gunupur,

Dist-rayagada-765022

14. Mamini Kumari Sahoo, C/o-Trinath Sahoo,

At/Po- Jagarnnath Prasad

Dist- Ganjam-761121

15 Anita Behera, C/o-Narasingh Behera,

At/Po-Bariniput,

Dist-Koraput-764006,

Ph-242189

16. Subhasmita Mishra. C/o-Pradeepta Kumar Mishra,

At/Po-Bariniput

Dist-Koraput-764006,

Ph-242179

17. Nibejita Rath. C/o-Patitapabana Rath.

At-Hastai Colony, Gunupur, Po: Gunupur,

Dist-Rayagada-765022

18. Debadarsini Samantray C/o-Amiya Ku. Samantray

At-Markana, Po-Simulia

Dist-Balasore-756126,

Ph-06788-239551

19. Swati Swagatika, C/o-Dhaneswar Swain.

At/Po-Baramba,

Dist-Cuttack-754031,

Ph-956721-273386

20. Eswari Patel. C/o-Surendra Ku. Patel.

At-Po-Tainsar,

Dist-Sambalpur-768227

21. Kurtika Karna. C/o-Umesh Ch. Karna.

At/Po-Laramva,

Dist-Bargarh-768102

22. Deepak Ku. Jena. C/o-Niranjan Jena.

At-Bari Bagada, Po-Bari Cuttack,

Dist-Jajpur-755003

23. Binaya Kumar Nayak, C/o Sanu Nayak,

At Talabarada, Po-Singhpur,

Dist-Keonjhar-758018

24. . Mandakin Kisan. C/o-Parsuram Kisan,

At-Sahebpada, Po-Tainsar,

Dist-Sambalpur-768227

25. Bhagabati Kisan, C/o-Hari Kisan,

At-Kuchinda, Po-Tainsar,

Dist-Sambalpur

26. Kumudin Nayak. C/o-Mukunda Nayak.

At/po-Kundukela.

Dist-Sundargarh-770019

27. G. Rakesh Kharamurti. C/o-G. Srinuwash Rao.

At-talapatratikra, Po: Saranda.,

Dist-Bargarh

28, Kanaka Muduli. C/o-Ghenu Muduli.

At-Sadasibapur, Po-Balimela,

Dist-Malkangiri

29. J. Mirabai Reddi. C/o-J. Chandrasekhar Reddi.

At-K. Mathamakundapur, Po-H. Buridi,

Dist-Ganjam-761027,

Ph-05811-221238

30. Bijaya Kumar Kanhar. , C/o-Bali Kanhar.,

At-Jugapadar, Po-Nuagaon

Dist-Kandhmal-762102