Go west young man

Ramanujan, had he lived long enough, would have been 121 today. Ramanujan's recognition--I think I read this in The Man who knew Infinity--encouraged other Indian scientists and mathematicians to cross the black water, venture abroad and make their mark in the global--or perhaps that should be the western--theatre.

And the trickle became a steady stream, that flows from high ground to low, compelled by the inevitable tug of lucre. A young man I once knew, had similarly navigated his way downstream. One day he revealed what I had started suspecting, that he was indeed a close relative of the great Ramanujan. He was unnaturally gifted at math. But that was then. Now, I suspect, he has only the lucre.