One of the finest works of American scholar and scientist Douglas R. Hofstadter is Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, which won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1980. Son of physicist and Nobel Prize winner Robert Hofstadter, Douglas graduated in mathematics and holds a PhD in physics, and is considered a genius in cognitive science. His book is based on a concept interweaving mathematics, art and music-a rarity that leaves many readers marvelling.
Most reviewers, though, say grasping Hofstadter's narration requires some intellectual capacity and technical knowledge.
So, one would assume that someone who barely managed to complete Class 10 in rural Andhra Pradesh, and later became a college dropout, would not be able to comprehend Hofstadter. But, if that someone was actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the assumption would be wrong.
A voracious reader with a curious mind that surpasses his formal education, Pawan Kalyan has read Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. His aides say he often likes to discuss the book's contents, and had even learnt mathematics just for the sake of understanding some of its ideas.
Recently, Pawan Kalyan achieved a mathematically and electorally improbable feat-a success rate of 100 per cent, as he won all 21 assembly constituencies and two Lok Sabha seats that his Jana Sena Party had contested.
At an internal party meeting recently in Vijayawada, he shared how during Reliance scion Ananth Ambani's wedding, everyone came up to him and spoke about the success rate. It is a stunning turnaround for Pawan Kalyan; in 2019, his party had won just one of the 137 seats it had contested.
"Along with intellectual muscle, you should also grow the muscle of courage. It is not about being fearless, but facing your fears and overcoming them," he would often repeat while delivering motivational speeches to students while on tours from 2019 to 2024.
Denne historien er fra July 28, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Denne historien er fra July 28, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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Forging the future
As the curtain falls on 2024, I take pride in the extraordinary milestones achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This year stands as a testament to the Modi government's resolve to forge a resilient and forward-looking Bharat. From groundbreaking advancements in infrastructure to visionary global initiatives, these efforts resonate deeply with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
Our strange democracy
Abraham Lincoln is lauded as among the very best presidents the US ever had: the statesman par excellence successfully steered the nation through the devastating and perilous years of the American civil war. Not only did Lincoln manage to keep his country united, he also ensured the passage of the 13th amendment to the US constitution, which abolished slavery.
Five years of post-pandemic fashion
It has been five years since we discovered what Covid-19 was, and five years since it disrupted the world forever. The World Health Organization activated their emergency systems on January 1, 2020, and informed the world by January 4, 2020. By the end of that week, they had set guidelines for various countries to follow. Comparable to the Spanish flu of 1918, more than 7 million people have died of Covid according to official data. Unofficially, no one has an idea. WHO has just this week asked China to provide critical data to understand the virus's origins as a “moral and scientific imperative”.
Community spirit
Rhythm of Dammam opens a window to the world of African-origin Siddis of Uttara Kannada
'Breaking' down a scandal
Society Girl is not just a case study of a high-profile death in Pakistan but also a stark commentary on media trials
Progress card
Jasmine Shah's book tells you what the AAP has achieved in Delhi in the last 10 years
SENSE IN NONSENSE
In his latest book of poetry, Ruskin Bond is at his funniest
Get ready for Trump bump
The ‘butterfly effect’ is a beautiful, mysterious metaphor of the planet’s interconnectedness.
QUIET FLOWS THE FAITH
The melding of an ancient amorphous faith and the latest science; of an antique tradition and new practices; ways of life older than memory and new expressions is happening at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh.
Trash to treasure
How a weed-choked Dal Lake spurred Maninder Singh's journey to become a waste management visionary
