http://www.livemint.com/Politics/N5CITe2rJuWNdTjBn29BEN/Being-a-mathematician-is-not-that-far-removed-from-being-a-m.html
There is a personal quest. So, when we are doing our research, it’s the quest for knowledge. It’s a personal thing. The other part is service—to be of relevance to a larger group of people. So when one teaches maths, it is the service part to a larger community; when one does research, it’s the personal part. There are some stereotypes associated with this word called monk, which is what perhaps contributes to this perceived contradiction. Hence, for me, being a mathematician is not that far removed from being a monk.
There is a personal quest. So, when we are doing our research, it’s the quest for knowledge. It’s a personal thing. The other part is service—to be of relevance to a larger group of people. So when one teaches maths, it is the service part to a larger community; when one does research, it’s the personal part. There are some stereotypes associated with this word called monk, which is what perhaps contributes to this perceived contradiction. Hence, for me, being a mathematician is not that far removed from being a monk.
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