Mathematics

HOD's Message

The Department of Mathematics was established in 1925 with B.A. degree in Mathematics. The Honours course was integrated in 1927 and the first batch of students appeared for B.A. Honours degree in 1930. The Department was recognised as PG Department in 1941 and as a Research Department in 1984.

Department - Student Activities:
The department aims in setting goals for students to lead a balanced successful life with proper health, good relationships, and mental peace. Also, our goal is to create a better world through education, research and extension activities.

The department involves third year U.G. students in the Institution Industry Interaction Program [IIIP] to develop their practical knowledge and skill in mathematics.

With the constant encouragement of our staff, many of our students have participated in inter-collegiate competitions in academics and won overall championships and various prizes. These activities have helped the students to go for higher studies in abroad. They have won prizes in sports and cultural competitions conducted in our college.

Some of our students have attended the summer training programme conducted by Indian Institute of Science Education and Research [IISER], Mathematics Training and Talent Search Programme [MTTS], GIAN course in IIT Patna, SPIM 2018 in HRI Allahabad and other academic institutions.

Remedial programmes are conducted successfully for the academic betterment of the students.

Highest number of students in our department has been placed in reputed companies through campus recruitment.

Special programmes are conducted to improve their academic performance as well as to motivate and encourage students to become aware of the job opportunities available and to know about the higher studies for their future.

To create more interest on the subjects, students are motivated by giving more examples, diagrammatic representations, their applications in real world using modern techniques and various clippings.

BLOG (For Mathematics Students):
Postgraduate students of the department of mathematics started a blog titled "Pandora's Box" in 2017, which serves as a platform for the students to showcase their articles and discussions in Mathematics and Astronomy.

Astro Club: 
The astronomy club in our department has been observing many historical events that happened in the universe since 1977. We are the first college in India to acquire Orion Atlas 10 EQ-G Telescope with astronomical models and other equipment provided by U.G.C. grants under COSIP.

Loyola Astro Club live streamed the total lunar eclipse 2018 - Copper Moon on 31st January 2018 in our college website and YouTube. The live streaming was a great success and it reached a great number of people. It was the first of its kind by a department in our college and this streaming had highest views on the day in Loyola College website.

Environment of the Department:
To nurture creativity, each classroom is provided with two notice boards in which students can display their creative writings. The best works are selected and awarded at the end of the year.

All eminent mathematicians and their contributions with their photos are displayed in the corridor of the department to enrich the knowledge of the students about the history of mathematics.

Research Activities:
In 1997, the department celebrated the birth centenary year of Rev. Fr. Charles Racine, Former Head of the Department. He had great interest in motivating the deserving students in research activities. Innumerous students of Fr. Racine have become eminent mathematicians and are internationally known for their significant contributions to research in mathematics. Rev. Fr. C. Racine was instrumental in introducing ‘Modern Mathematics' in India. In memory of him, the department initiated research activities under the name of 'Racine Research Centre' in 1997 to help meritorious students to pursue mathematical studies and to create a better world through research, publication and extension activities.

At present there are four research guides and 29 students enrolled for research program under Racine Research Centre. 65 doctoral degrees were awarded under the guidance of our staff members. The thrust areas of research are Embedding Problems, Minimum Metric Dimension, Graph Labeling and Coloring, Fuzzy Logic, Neural Network, Automata and Fuzzy Graph Theory.

Staff Activities:
At present the department has 11 teaching staff in aided category and 11 teaching staff in management category.

Some of our staff members are officials of the college.

The department has conducted workshops, Refresher Course for faculty, seminars, a series of international conferences and mathematical congress.

We conduct R P Ranga Endowment Lecture, Racine Endowment Lecture, Fr. Felix Mathematical Model Exhibition and Prof. Major Velmurugan Astronomical Day every year.

Video conference classes are conducted for astronomy by professors from Germany and Canada. During the pandemic scenario, the department made use of interactive white boards, learning and presentation tools, MATLAB, Wolfram Mathematica, GeoGebra, Octave, etc., to conduct online classes. In addition, the department organized an FDP, 6 Webinars, 2 Workshops, 3 Quizzes, 11 Talk Series through Astro Club and 3 Competitions.

The department maintains the profile of the graduated students and retired professors in digital format.

The list of students selected in the campus interview is maintained as a record in the department.

We have digitised group photos of all the students who studied in our Department since 1925.

From 2016, three of our staff members and twenty nine of our students have successfully cleared SET examinations.

Future Plan:
•  MoUs with foreign and other Universities / Industrial Research Centres
•  Introducing PG programme in 'Applied Mathematics'
•  Establishing Loyola Innovative Forum of Mathematics (LIFORM)
•  Department consultancy cell in collaboration with alumni for our students to become Social Entrepreneurs

Dr. D. Antony Xavier
Head of the Department, Mathematics