PROFESSOR WAZIR HASAN ABDI (1920-1999) Professor Wazir Hasan Abdi joined as the founder Professor and Head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics of University of Cochin in 1977. His teaching career started in 1943 in a degree college in Lucknow which extended to many other institutions in other parts of India, as R.E.C. Srinagar, Aligarh University. He then taught and carried out research work in other countries such as Scotland U.K., Australia, Poland, Romania, Yugoslavia and Canada. Born on July 1, 1920 at Jaunpur (U.P), he took his M.A (Mathematics) from Aligarh University in 1942. He completed his Ph.D. thesis entitled “A Study of q-Laplace Transforms” in 1962 under the guidance of Prof.R. P. Agarwal of Lucknow University. He was also awarded Ph.D. degree (h.c) by the University of Adelaide, Australia, in 1969, where he worked from 1967 to 1976. His research interests were mainly in q-function theory, bibasic functional equations and discrete analytic function theory. He was also an exponent in the History of Mathematics and Science, especially on Hindu-Arab-Persian contributions and has written several popular articles on Philosophy of Science. He has also authored several books for children, in Hindi, on the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan, Copernicus and other scientists. His book entitled “TOILS AND TRIUMPHS OF SRINIVASA RAMANUJAN-THE MAN AND THE MATHEMATICIAN” (National Publishing House, Jaipur (1992) is an excellent addition to the already existing volumes on Ramanujan.
1. C.J. Harman : A Discrete Analytic Theory for Geometric Difference Functions, University of Adelaide, 1972.
2. Barbara Macleod : A Basic Operational Calculus for q-functional Equations, University of Adelaide, 1975.
3. K.K. Velukutty : Some Problems of Discrete Function Theory, University of Cochin, 1982.
4. Mercy.K.Jacob : A Study of Discrete Pseudo-Analytic Functions, University of Cochin, 1983.
5. S.A.H.Rizvi : Some Aspects of History of Indian Mathematics in 18thand Early 19th Centuries, University of Cochin, 1984.
6. T.K.Thresiamma : Discrete Commutative Difference Operator Theory, University of Cochin, 1986.
7. A.Vijayakumar : Studies in the Geometry of the Discrete Plane, University of Cochin, 1986.
Prof. Abdi was the Fellow of National Academy of Sciences (India), National Institute of Ecology, Indian Association of History and Philosophy of Science and Member of Indian Mathematical Society, Vice-President of Indian Society for History of Mathematics and the President of Bharat Granita Parishad. He was also the Project-in-charge, History of Science and Technology in India during the Medieval Period (Sponsored by the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, CSIR). He has also served as member of the Board of Studies in several universities. He was also a member of the National Commission for compilation of History of Sciences in India.
During his tenure as the Head of the Department from 1977-1982, he was successful in creating a research atmosphere in the department and was also instrumental in organizing many refresher courses for school and college teachers and the Annual Conference of National Academy of Sciences in 1981. In 1979 the department started a P.G.Diploma Course in Operations Research and Computer Applications, the first of its kind in the country, which was upgraded to an M.Sc. programme in 1985.
Acclaimed by all as a great visionary, an innovative, exciting teacher, he became a friend, philosopher and guide for many in the University. The love, regard and respect that his students and colleagues had towards him, was rightfully acknowledged by forming an “Abdi Endowment” in 1982. Since then prizes are given to the first rank holders of M.Sc. (Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research &Computer Applications).
Prof. Abdi passed away on 22nd September, 1999. He is survived by three sons Iqbal Abdi, Ehtesham Abdi and Iqtedar Abdi. His wife Mrs. Enayet Abdi had always supported Prof. Abdi allowing and encouraging him to pursue his higher pursuits all the while managing all the domestic, family as well as social activities herself. Mrs. Abdi passed away in 2011.
In the Annual Conferences of Ramanujan Mathematical Society
Prof. K.R. Unni (Former Director, Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Madras) gave the First “Prof. Abdi Memorial Lecture” entitled “Wavelets- an overview” in the 15th Annual Conference of the Ramanujan Mathematical Society on 5th June, 2000 at the University of Madras.
The Second was by Prof. M.S. Raghunathan, F.R.S (School of Mathematics, TIFR, Mumbai) on “The First Betti Number of a Compact Hyperbolic Manifold” in the 16th Annual Conference of RMS, on 4thJune 2001 at Fergusson College, Pune.
The third, by Prof. I. B. S. Passi, Harish Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad on “Linear Groups” in the 17th Annual Conference of RMS at Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi on 10th June 2002.
The fourth, by Prof. S. Kumaresan, University of Mumbai on ’Dirac Operators and its Uses’ in the 18th Annual Conference at Annamalai University on 17th July 2003.
The fifth by Prof. K.R. Parthasarathy, Indian Statistical Institute, New Delhi, on ’On estimating the state of a finite level quantum system’ in the 19th Annual Conference at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Agra on 22nd July 2004.
The sixth by Prof. S. G. Dani, TIFR, Mumbai on ‘Cumulative effect of random linear transformations’ on 30th July 2005 in the 20th Annual conference held at University of Calicut.
The seventh by Prof. V.S Borkar, TIFR Mumbai on ‘Stochastic approximation: a dynamic viewpoint' on 8th July 2006 in the 21stconference held at University of Hyderabad.
The eighth by Prof. S. S. Sane, University of Mumbai, on ‘Symmetric, quasi symmetric designs and strongly regular graphs’, in the 22nd Annual conference held at NIT, Surathkal, June 2007. Prof. Rahul Roy, ISI, Delhi on `Random spanning trees and forests' in June 2008 and on ‘How to complete a matrix’ by Prof. R.B. Bapat (ISI, Delhi) in the 24th Annual conference of RMS at ISI Bangalore on 11th May 2009.
The First Prof. Wazir Hasan Abdi memorial lecture in the Department was delivered by Prof. V. Kannan, (University of Hyderabad) on 23.9.2000.
The subsequent lectures were delivered by Prof.S.Kesavan, Prof.V.S.Sunder (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, (Chennai), Prof.A.Sitaram,(ISI,Bangalore), Prof.R.Sridharan(CMI,Chennai), Prof.S.Ramasubramanian (ISI, Bangalore) and Prof B.Sury (ISI Bangalore) Prof. P.Sankaran, (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai) Prof.R.Balasubramanian,(Director, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai) Prof . G. Rangarajan (IISc. Bangalore), Prof. K. N Raghavan (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai) , Prof. Dilip R Patil (IISc., Bangalore), Prof. M.T.Nair (IITM, Chennai), Prof. A K. Nandakumaran (IISc., Bangalore), Prof.R. Ramanujam (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai), Prof.Kaushal Verma (IISc.Bangalore), Prof. K Srinivas of (The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai) and Prof. Rajarama Bhat (ISI, Bangalore) in 2017. Some of these lectures have been compiled and published by the Department in March 2003. These lectures are arranged jointly by the Department and its Alumni Association.
Most deserving girl student of M.Sc. Mathematics course will be awarded a cash prize. This was awarded to Merin Jose (I Sem) in September 2016, Merin Jose and Chitra Venugopal (December 2016) and Merin Jose (III Sem) and Rhea Davis (I Sem) in September 2017. The student who secures maximum CGPA will be awarded a cash prize with effect from 2015 admissions. This will be awarded to Rosna Paul in September 2017. This project is funded by the sons of Prof. Abdi.
AUTHOR: Cochin-22 4.9.2017 Vijayakumar, (vambat@gmail.com)
" However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at " -Stephen Hawking
DR. AMBAT VIJAYAKUMAR Emeritus Professor. Department of Mathematics Cochin University of Science and Technology Cochin-682022, INDIA
emails: vambat@gmail.com ; ambatvijay@rediffmail.com; vijay@cusat.ac.in
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