Bhubaneswar: Logical thinking and open-mindedness not only help students solve problems in mathematics but in real life as well, said the dignitaries during the inaugural ceremony of the three-day mathematics problem-solving camp held at IIT Bhubaneswar Monday. More than 40 selected students from 18 districts of the state are participating in the camp.
The camp was inaugurated by Law, Works and Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan, and Health and Family Welfare, Parliamentary Affairs, and Electronic and Information Technology Minister Mukesh Mahaling, in presence of IIT Bhubaneswar director Shreepad Karmalkar. Speaking on the occasion, Harichandan stressed on the importance of logical analysis and open-mindedness in solving the problems of life as they do in case of solving problems of mathematics.
He also appreciated the initiative to provide a platform for young mathematicians to harness their knowledge and skill under the guidance of experts. Mahaling, in his address, lauded the efforts of organisers for holding the programme for students from rural Odisha. He also urged institutes like IIT, NISER and Institute of Mathematics and Applications to conduct such programmes for school students. Karmalkar held a session on ‘Problem-solving’ wherein he showed examples of how general discipline and independent strategies help solve a variety of real-life problems.
A team of enthusiastic professors from NISER, IIT Bhubaneswar and various colleges of the state, under the Math-Odisha100 initiative, have been working to improve Mathematics education at the undergraduate level. The camp is being organised by the institute for undergraduate students in association with Madhava Mathematics Competition, Dhuriapada Anka Foundation (Bhubaneswar), Institute of Mathematics and Applications (Bhubaneswar), Indian National Young Academy of Science (New Delhi) and IIT Bhubaneswar Research and Entrepreneurship Park.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP