“Memorization fades, but the ability to reason and prove endures — shaping true mathematical thinkers from a young age.”
On 26 April 2025, Delhi Public School, R.K. Puram hosted a workshop by Mr. Anant Mudgal titled ‘A Journey in Mathematical Thinking’.
Mr. Mudgal represented India at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) for four consecutive years — 2015 to 2018 — winning an Honourable Mention, two Bronze Medals, and a Silver Medal. He notably proposed Problem Six at the 60th IMO in Bath, United Kingdom — the most challenging problem of the contest — becoming the only Indian to do so, and one of the five Indians in the IMO’s 65-year history to have a problem selected. As a leading coach of the Indian IMO program, Mr. Mudgal has served on various committees and trained students across five continents and fifteen countries. He now heads Mathelots Pvt Ltd, a company committed to delivering high-quality mathematics education resources and promoting the true spirit of learning mathematics.
Mr. Anant Mudgal is also the author of The Book of Zero Knowledge. In this work, he blends the enchanting spirit of medieval fantasy with the thrill of unraveling mathematical truths through logic and reasoning.Through a journey filled with challenging puzzles, the book seeks to answer the question: “What is all that there is to know?”
The proceedings of the workshop began with the Principal, Mr. Anil Kumar who warmly welcomed Mr. Anant Mudgal and shared his reflections on the inspiring journey of writing The Book of Zero Knowledge — from its initial idea to its launch on the auspicious occasion of Pi Day which also coincided with a rare cosmic event of lunar eclipse, marking an important new beginning.
The workshop was attended by the Mathematics Faculty of DPS R.K. Puram , DPS Vasant Vihar and DPS East of Kailash.
An insightful session led by Mr. Anant Mudgal included various problems : Validations and Proofs, a Serrendiptious Sum, Numbers and Counting etc.The session was both inspiring and enlightening, offering a glimpse into the beauty and depth of mathematical thinking and problem-solving at the highest levels. Mr. Mudgal emphasized that simply memorizing formulae, definitions, and theorems does not spark true interest in mathematics. While comfort with numbers, variables, and logical arguments is helpful, the most important foundation is a serious and mature curiosity to seek and understand deeper truths.
Mr. Anant underscored that introducing logic and proofs at an early stage significantly enhances children’s comprehension and foundational understanding of mathematics.
As the event drew to a close, a heartfelt Vote of Thanks was delivered by Head of the Mathematics Department, Ms. Ritu Nayar, acknowledging the collective efforts of the guests, organizers, and participating faculty. The Principal Mr. Anil Kumar emphasized the importance of engaging students with practical problems to nurture curiosity and deeper learning. Vice Principals Mr. Anil Katuria and Mr. Naresh Miglani applauded the efforts of the author Mr. Anant Mudgal.