Ramanujan symbolises talent of people of India: Netanyahu

Renowned Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan symbolises the talent of people of India, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, emphasising that the two countries believe in the partnership of talent.

Expressing his admiration for Ramanujan, Netanyahu said he was one of the greatest mathematicians of all times.

"We have a great admiration for people of India. I told you about my late uncle professor, who was a mathematician at the Israel Institute of Technology. He told me many times about his admiration for the great Indian mathematician Ramanujan," Netanyahu said in a statement along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"He was perhaps the greatest mathematician in many centuries. And this symbolises the talent of people of India, as we know we have talent in Israel. We believe in this partnership of talent," said Netanyahu, 67, who studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) between 1972 and 1976, earning a SB (Bachelor of Science) and SM (Master's) degrees.

Ramanujan, who died at an early age of 32, has contributed to mathematical analysis, including infinite series and continued fractions.

The Israeli prime minister said he and Modi both seek a better future for the people of the two countries.

"It requires a lot of work, it won't happen overnight but prime minister Modi and I want this to happen," he said.

Modi, the first Indian prime minister to visit the Jewish nation, received a warm welcome in Israel yesterday. His three-day visit is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and will also see discussions between him and his Israeli counterpart Netanyahu to explore ways to enhance cooperation in key strategic areas.