'Come fall in love with Math': IIT Gandhinagar turns formulas into curiosity

IIT Gandhinagar held a four-day workshop that brought students, teachers and professionals together to explore mathematics through questions and observation. The programme reflected a wider push to teach mathematics as a way of thinking rather than a formula-driven subject.

In Short

• A 4-day programme brought students, teachers and professionals
• Sessions began with questions and observation instead of textbook definitions
• Participants explored patterns, decision-making and scientific reasoning

‘Mathematics is the mother of all sciences’, scientists often return to this statement whenever conversations emerge around innovation and technological progress. New discoveries, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and engineering systems increasingly depend on mathematical understanding. Countries such as the United States and China have expanded investments in institutions dedicated to mathematical research.

India, too, has begun taking steps in that direction. Last year, the Lodha Mathematical Sciences Institute was established, signalling a shift in how advanced mathematics is being viewed. Continuing this broader conversation, IIT Gandhinagar organised a workshop titled "Come Fall in Love with Math", attempting to move mathematics beyond formulas and classrooms and closer to curiosity.

The initiative brings together school students, college learners, teachers, faculty members and professionals to explore mathematics and science through discussion, activities and observation.

Unlike conventional classroom settings where concepts often begin with definitions and formulas, the workshop focused on questions, curiosity and practical thinking.

Participants were encouraged to examine everyday situations and scientific phenomena before arriving at explanations. Sessions revolved around asking why things happen, observing patterns and discussing possible answers collectively.

The organisers said the objective was to make mathematics and science more approachable and connected with real life, rather than limiting them to examinations or textbooks.

LEARNING BEYOND FORMULAS

For decades, mathematics education in India has often been associated with memorisation of formulas, studying concepts for competitive examinations and solving problems using fixed methods.

The workshop attempted a different approach.

Instead of presenting mathematics as a subject to score marks in, sessions explored it as a tool for understanding patterns, decision-making and scientific reasoning.

Collaborative activities formed a major part of the programme, with participants working together and sharing different ways of interpreting problems.

Several attendees said the experience changed how they viewed mathematics.

A participant from Karnataka said, “The workshop completely changed the way I look at mathematics and science. The activities, discussions and interactions made learning enjoyable and meaningful.”

Another participant noted that the environment encouraged questioning.

“What made the workshop special was that every question was encouraged. It created an environment where learning felt exciting rather than stressful,” the participant said.

CURIOSITY MAY BECOME AS IMPORTANT AS CONTENT

During an interaction session, Professor Rajat Moona, Director of IIT Gandhinagar, spoke about the importance of curiosity and scientific thinking in education.

He discussed the role mathematics, science and engineering are likely to play in future societies shaped increasingly by technology and data-driven systems.

The conversations extended beyond formal sessions. Teachers attending the workshop reportedly discussed whether such inquiry-based methods could be introduced into classrooms to make learning more interactive.

The workshop ended with participants reflecting on questioning, discussion and experimentation as essential parts of learning.

At a time when debates continue around artificial intelligence, technological innovation and future skills, programmes such as these indicate a growing effort within institutions to revisit how mathematics is taught, not merely as a subject, but as a way of thinking.

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