This Indian genius challenged Einstein's theory, helped NASA during..., went missing for years, died in poverty, his name is...
Genius doesn't always mean thinking outside the box but it means changing what the box even means. That's exactly what Vashishtha Narayan Singh, a brilliant mathematician from Bihar, did. His life is a true example of how greatness comes from questioning limits and building new paths. Born in a small village in Bihar's Siwan, Vashishtha showed signs of brilliance in mathematics from a very young age. Teachers were stunned by how easily he solved complex problems. Coming from a humble background, his father was a police constable, Vashishtha's early education began at Netarhat School in Jharkhand, followed by Patna Science College.
He stood out in every way. He not only topped his BSc but also his MSc examinations in back-to-back years. In 1964, he again proved his talent by securing the top rank in the UGC's Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) exam, a national-level test for research scholars.
By the time he turned 21, Vashishtha had already achieved what many dream of. He was invited to work as a visiting fellow at top places like the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and the University of California in Berkeley. His work was so impressive that he reportedly challenged even the famous equation E = MC² by Einstein and explored theories by Gauss. The rise, fall, and legacy of Vashishtha Narayan Singh
In 1967, Vashishtha Narayan Singh reached a remarkable milestone in his career after he became the Director at Columbia University's Department of Mathematics. Just two years later, in 1969, he wrote a groundbreaking work titled 'The Peace of Space Theory', in which he questioned Einstein's 'Theory of Relativity.' His thesis on this subject earned him a PhD, and his genius was so widely acknowledged that the University of California, Berkeley honored him with the title 'Genius of Geniuses.'
In 1971, Vashishtha returned to India. The following year, he joined IIT Kanpur as a mathematics professor.
There are several fascinating stories about Vashishtha. One popular claim reports that NASA sought his help when their computers failed during an important mission. Some even say he played a crucial role during the Apollo moon landing project, contributing to vital calculations when time was critical.
But just as life seemed perfect, tragedy struck.
Shortly after getting married, Vashishtha was diagnosed with schizophrenia, a serious mental illness. This illness deeply affected his life: his marriage broke down, his health deteriorated, and his brilliant career came to a halt. He was admitted to several hospitals for treatment, including NIMHANS in Bengaluru and IHBAS in Delhi. During his toughest times, actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha offered support for his treatment.
In these years, Vashishtha somehow disappeared during the train journey and started to reappear later on living in misery in his home village. As per reports in one of the train journeys undertaken by him, Singh vanished for a long time, only to come back years later.
Despite years of isolation and struggle, Vashishtha showed incredible resilience. He made a quiet yet powerful return to teaching, taking a post as a lecturer at Bhupendra Narayan Mandal University (BNMU) in Madhepura, Bihar. It was a small comeback for a giant mind.
On 14 November 2019, at the age of 72, Vashishtha Narayan Singh passed away. Though his life was filled with both brilliance and hardship, the Indian government recognized his legacy and honored him posthumously with the Padma Shri, one of the country's highest civilian awards.
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