IISER Kolkata in Haringhata, near Kalyani, organised a public lecture last week featuring two eminent mathematicians, M. Ram Murty and V. Kumar Murty, to inspire young minds to pursue maths and research.

Organised by the department of mathematics and statistics, the event drew enthusiastic participation from students and faculty.

Ram Murty, a professor at Queen’s University, Canada, delivered a lecture titled “The Art of Research”, while Kumar Murty, professor at the University of Toronto, Canada, and director of the Lodha Mathematical Sciences Institute, Mumbai, spoke on “Reflections on the Computer and the Human Brain”.

Addressing students and researchers, Ram Murty underscored the exploratory and deeply personal nature of academic inquiry.

“There is no recipe for great research. There are only some guiding principles that work,” he said, encouraging students to cultivate curiosity, patience and originality rather than chase formulaic success.

His lecture offered insights into how meaningful mathematical research evolves through sustained engagement with problems and a willingness to learn from failure.

In his lecture, Kumar Murty drew on examples from science and mathematics to compare human cognition with machine computation. Stressing the relevance of the theme in contemporary times, he said: “At a time when artificial intelligence is getting more and more sophisticated, it is appropriate to reflect on the different ways in which the computer and the human brain process information.”

His reflections highlighted both AI’s strengths and limitations and the enduring role of human intuition and creativity in mathematical thinking.

As part of the event, students from the department of maths and statistics showcased a range of mathematical models and posters, offering a glimpse into their ongoing academic work and research interests.

An interactive Q&A followed, during which students engaged directly with speakers on issues ranging from research pathways to the future of maths in a technology-driven world.

Rangeet Bhattacharyya, officiating director of IISER Kolkata, stressed the importance of taking science beyond classrooms and labs. He spoke on the need to popularise science among young minds and unveiled a plan to organise similar outreach events every year on a larger scale.