Shakuntala Devi: “number links us together, they hold the world”

shakuntala devi
Shakuntala Devi (credit to Anupama Instagram)

Shakuntala Devi (b. 4 Nov 1929 — d 21 April 2013) Indian writer, numerologist and famous for her god gifted brain of the fastest human calculator (Guinness world record 1982). This was a prodigious gift to India in the late 19s when India was progressing to achieve its presence globally. Devi was just three years old when she had discovered her talent of calculating the numbers in seconds.

Number links us together, they hold the world, so I thought to bring people together. I built a bridge between nation to nation. Country to country, race to race.

Shakuntala Devi

Devi, being A daughter of a circus performer, Started earning at the young age

A daughter of a circus performer who could hardly earn daily wages for his family expenses. And another day again searching for another place and work. Devi was the elder daughter in the family. When a melancholic father came to know that his daughter is a no more ordinary girl, he stopped going to circus ground and started showcasing Devi's talent in public.

Shakuntala, remember, I got so many ambassadors all over the world, but you are a very special  ambassador. Because you are a rowing ambassador, you are a mathematical ambassador. Who can win fame for India and build up close relationships between country to country.

Indira Gandhi

The Journey of Shakuntala Devi To London and other countries

Shakuntala soon earned fame and was called to Mysore University for her first official test (the university examination) and there also she successfully proved the first Indian woman. She has a god gifted arithmetical endowment. The family decided to lead the great Shakuntala and Devi moved to London in 1944, just three years ago when India became an independent country.

The Greatest strength of number that they never lies, real, true. It's beautiful, it is the greatest philosophy. It is truth in the whole world.

Shakuntala Devi

Writings and Books

Being a Brahmin from the generation of seven centuries, her god gifted brain was well expert in astrological consultation too. She wrote few books on Sexuality, Thriller and others on numerical calculations. She also helped many students through her books, calculating the numbers effortless.

In one of the interviews: she was being asked that does your capability of brain looses with age? Her reply was astonishing. Shakuntala said, “I am getting younger day by day.” she also gave a very fine example of local and branded wine. It was true that branded wine gets special attention when it is specially old. It's value increases day by day.

Watch Shakuntala Devi Interview: Talking about her Life and Career

Interview of Shakuntala Devi with RT

She never attended any English classes and read her first book at 13, gothic mother, and also wrote a book in English when she was 14. In 1977, she wrote a book called homosexual and strongly criticized by guy communities.

According to Shakuntala Devi, Russians are god gifted talent

Devi travelled many countries and her observation also revealed that which country has the most intelligent brain. According to Shakuntala Devi, Russian got much talent in numerical calculation and  china at the second place in the world. At her personal level, Devi found many jealous people in her career. Especially, intervened, thinking about her progress and fame.

Anupama Banerji life in London

Devi and her daughter, Anupama Banerji was living together in London and Her daughter was her strength, power and hold special bond between them. Anupama also has received some genetic contribution of inheritance (of bit) from her mother, but she does not use them as a profession. However, she is a brilliant student in her mathematical studies.

Shakuntala Devi Family Picture (credit to Anupama Banerji Instagram)

The most famous calculation ever done by Shakuntala Devi are as follows

On 18 June 1980 Shakuntala did below multiplication

  • 7,686,369,774,870 × 2,465,099,745,779 the correct answer was 18,947,668,177,995,426,462,773,730 in just 28 seconds

She never liked comparing a human brain with a human made computer.

Cube roots calculations,

  • 95,443,993 = 457 in just 2 seconds
  • 204,336469 = 589 in 5 seconds
  • 2,373,927,704 = 1334 in 10 seconds.

Higher calculation she ever answered

455,762,531,836,562,965,930,666,032,734,375 = 46295 in 40 seconds (Berkeley, 11988)

Psychologist Jensen in 1988 at University of California

Arthur Jensen, American psychologist and writer and professor of educational psychology at the University of California said (read original page),

None of the objective test results begins to explain why or how Devi is able to perform feats with numbers that are so far beyond what most of us can do in this sphere as to seem incredible. Her peculiar ability is indeed rare, perhaps one in hundreds of millions.

Jensen

The later days of Devi were few frequent visits of hospitals and died on 21 April 2013 due to respiratory and cardiac health related issues.

Furthermore, read about first Indian woman, Anandi Joshi who got medical degree from the USA and woman who sacrifices her life, Janaki Ammal who was the first botanist. She was the reason of the sweetness of Indian sugarcane. Indian pioneer, first teacher of India, Savitribai Phule who contributed toward the Indian education system.