Book Review: Chandrashekhar B. Khare’s Chasing Conjecture—Inside The Mind Of A Mathematician, A Journey Through Math, Music, And Life

Dr. Chandrashekhar B. Khare, a mathematician by qualification and music aficionado at heart, creatively recounts his educational and personal journey in his book Chasing Conjecture – Inside the Mind of a Mathematician. Written in a slightly unconventional style, the book weaves together mathematical equations and a tapestry of anecdotes that have shaped his life. “Math, music, and mayhem that shaped my life… you will find all in this book,” reveals Khare.

One finds mathematics serving as a language of narration—a novel way of expressing emotions and experiences. As Khare writes in the introduction, ‘The mathematical plot of this book is about mathematicians who got infected by the ‘virus’ of Galois and Ramanujan symmetries, and as a result became obsessed, or afflicted, by them. The proof of Serre’s conjecture is a milestone in showing that these symmetries, in spite of their totally different morphology, astonishingly enough have essentially the same DNA. This book is about the human story of this mathematical achievement.’ (sic)

This passage sums up both the mathematical undercurrent of the book and its distinctive narrative style. Best known for decoding Serre’s conjecture—along with his French collaborator Jean-Pierre Wintenberger—Khare’s admiration for the mathematicians he studied is evident throughout the pages.

So, Serre or Galois? “I think Galois is a very romantic figure, as in—he died very young. He lived in the early 19th century. He was only 20 or 21 when he died... And before that, he had come up with ideas that have since transformed mathematics.” Khare says.

“Like artists who were unrecognised in their lifetimes—think Van Gogh—Galois didn’t gain fame or recognition for his ideas while alive. His theory is now a basic framework of pure mathematics. While in art this happens often, most mathematicians' ideas are recognized in their time; Galois is a notable exception. Galois’ ideas are just intrinsic to the kind of mathematics I do,” explains Khare.

“Serre is much more contemporary—he’s still alive. He’s almost 100. He had a direct influence on me, right from my graduate years in the 1990s. He has been an inspiration to many mathematicians, including me.”

Khare admits to be influenced by many in his life. “I found inspiration in many. For example, as a kid, my parents had this philosophical attitude that they wanted their children to meet good people. My mother was fairly religious and part of the Varkari Panth. Many from that movement used to visit our home. They were very simple people,” shares Khare.

One cannot ignore the profound influence of Professor Shreeram Shankar Abhyankar, the mathematician from Purdue University. In the book, Khare admits falling under his spell. ‘The visiting mathematician, Professor Shreeram Shankar Abhyankar, seemed outré to me.’ (sic) He details their interaction and describes Abhyankar’s dedication to maths was eye opening. “I was drawn to people who were taken over by some pursuit, whether it was music or mathematics. For example, Ken Ribet a mathematician from Berkeley had a great influence on me when I was a graduate student. I was fascinated by his papers because they seemed so elegant. And also the avant garde Hindustani vocalist Kishori Amonkar—for her sheer brilliance, charisma, and the tapasya so visible in her singing. When I went to her concerts, I felt I would like to achieve her quality but in my vocation of mathematics.”

The music of mathematics

Khare asserts that Indian classical music captivates him as deeply as mathematics. “It is a complex art, to create a world of emotions in say an hour long exposition of Todi takes great artistry and vision. Musicians like Bhimsen Joshi, Kishori Amonkar, Mallikarjun Mansoor, Kumar Gandharva… spent decades to find their style.”

He was introduced to Western classical music only after arriving in Cambridge as a 19 year old undergraduate students: like many mathematicians he became very fond of the music of Bach. “However, Indian classical is, for me, the go-to, as it has a much more direct connection to me: being an Indian it seems natural that I would feel a deeper emotional connect with it.”

Interestingly, Khare has an eye for aesthetics well beyond math. He writes in detail about the art on the walls of TIFR (Tata Institute of Fundamental Research)—a testament to his appreciation of beauty in all forms.

Math as a Language—and a Way of Life

In conversation, Khare may speak in a straightforward, linear way, but his writing is layered, using mathematics to convey emotion, memory, and meaning.

“For me, like many of my mathematician colleagues, mathematics is a way of life. When in the grip of an idea it takes over one's life,” says Khare. “But it didn’t come easy. I struggled mightily as a graduate student, failed exams, even after that it was a struggle. It never stops being a struggle but after success and experience one is better able to ride the crests and troughs,” he confesses.

He believes there's no single way to approach the subject. “There are various ways to do mathematics. My way may not be someone else’s. The subject allows freedom—the freedom to explore the subject on your own terms. Everything that’s within you can be used when doing mathematics. I’m sure my interest in music, not directly perhaps, but in some way, influences my mathematical aesthetics. It helps me seek out a certain kind of math.”

The title Chasing Conjecture hints at the significance of Serre’s work in Khare’s life and career. “I was attracted to Serre by his taste in mathematics. I liked the kind of math he did. He combined very abstract, deep ideas with things that were also elegant and easy to delight in.”

Chasing Conjecture – Inside the Mind of a Mathematician may at first seem intimidating—with its theorems and complex ideas—but there’s no need to be daunted. The book gently draws the reader in, guiding them through Khare’s personal and intellectual journey. The math can be regarded as background music, it’s there but need not be grasped fully, and yet it adds to the mood.

The Notes section explains the math, while the rest of the book lays bare the emotions of a son, a student, a husband, and a researcher.

This book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in creative pursuits and stories of breakthroughs in arts and sciences.

Book: Chasing Conjecture– Inside the Mind of a Mathematician

Author: Chandrashekhar B. Khare

Publisher: Juggernaut

Pages: 328

Price: ₹ 799