Paper On India's Traditional Mathematics Heads For Seoul Meet: Auroville Creates History
Research paper examines how traditional Indian methods may allay fears of mathematics among students
Published : July 18, 2025 at 7:26 PM IST
Auroville (Villupuram) : A research paper on traditional Indian mathematics systems, titled 'Changes in Teachers and Students Attitudes on Mathematics', has been selected for presentation at the 9th Eastern Mathematics Education Conference (EARCOME 9) to be held in Seoul, the South Korean capital.
India is set to make a record by participating in this international conference for the first time held from July 18 to 22.
Researcher Contribution
This research paper has been prepared jointly by Dr. Sanjeev Ranganathan, Chairman of the Sri Aurobindo International Educational Research Institute in Auroville near Puducherry, and Poovizhi, a mathematics teacher at Auroville School.
The research paper of Dr. Sanjeev Ranganathan and math teacher Poovizhi examines how traditional Indian math methods can be used in modern education. Furthermore, it demonstrates through classroom experiments how these methods improve students' understanding and interest in mathematics.
Their efforts have been supported by Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Gujarat State and Secretary, Auroville Trust. Dr. Jayanti Ravi has experience teaching measurement techniques at Harvard University.
Purpose of the study
Speaking in this regard, Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi, Secretary, Auroville Trust, said, "India's traditional maths methods make mathematics easy and interesting for children. Fear and aversion to mathematics is a big challenge worldwide. This study provides a way to solve various problems by teaching mathematics to students by linking it to real life situations."
Poovizhi, a maths teacher at Auroville School, who was part of the two-person team that prepared the article, said, "Students are now learning maths with more enthusiasm than ever before. They have a deeper understanding of the basic concepts of geometry and algebra. This is a major step forward in maths education.”
They also say that this research paper is a step towards reintroducing India’s traditional method of maths education to the world and that in the future, there are plans to spread these methods across India.
