Association
Mathematics
"How not to miss the next Nobel Laureate"
In the Swiss research magazine "Horizons", Evelyn Ebneter and Mathys Douma from the Mathematics Olympiad talk about how they experience being gifted in certain regards.
28.04.2023
Volunteering
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Menschen
"You wouldn’t even know it’s a competition"
Math is just for single-minded nerds who don’t know how to have fun? Ruhi is living proof that this could not be further from the truth. The finalist and volunteer of the Swiss Mathematics Olympiad is also a swimmer. In an interview, she told us about the playfulness of mathematicians, the meaning of competition and the way passion can help us through tough times.
Ruhi Pungaliya (All images: Claudia Christen)
Ruhi is a volunteer for the Mathematics Olympiad and planning to study mathematics at university.
"When you go to an event of the Math Olympiad, you wouldn’t even know it’s a competition. Everybody is extremely nice, it’s a tight-knit community, and there is just one shared purpose: We all love math! "
"If you bring in play into that it makes it more interesting and engaging."
When you are not playing with numbers, what do you do?
You will probably find me at the swimming pool. I’m a competitive swimmer and if I’m not doing math I’m usually busy with fitness training or swimming. The other place you might see me at if I’m not doing math is the music room. Playing the piano helps me reenergize.
A lot of people probably have a cliché in mind of a mathematics Olympian who is not very athletic, not very artistic, not very sociable and thinking about nothing but numbers and theorems all day. Are you just an exception?
I believe that this stereotype is created by a narrow understanding of what it means to excel in mathematics. While we may spend a significant amount of time on it, we also have interests and talents outside of math. When we are at the Mathematics Olympiad camp for example, we sit for long hours doing math… but we also do other things like going outside to play football, go on runs in the morning, help in the kitchen and play games. Personally, I believe that having diverse interests and skills has actually enhanced my ability in mathematics.
Personally, I believe that having diverse interests and skills has actually enhanced my ability in mathematics.
Ruhi Pungaliya is 17 years old and in her last year at ZIS Zurich International School. In August of 2021, she moved from India to Switzerland and participated in the Swiss Mathematics Olympiad right away, making it to the final in March of 2022. Currently she’s a volunteer for the Mathematics Olympiad and planning to study mathematics at university.
When you are swimming, do you turn off your mathematical brain or do you still ponder over problems in the pool?
For me, swimming is a way to release tension, but sometimes, I can’t help but return to a problem that I was solving before in my head. Thinking about the problem while swimming has sometimes led me to having new insights into its solution. Other times swimming acts like an escape – a necessary escape.
Thinking about the problem while swimming has sometimes led me to having new insights into its solution. Other times swimming acts like an escape – a necessary escape.
Is swimming more of a competition or more of a game to you?
If I am in training and the swimming coaches have assigned a workout, or if I am at a competition about to race, I will do that with a competitive mindset. But once I’m outside of the pool, in between races, I get to be playful with my teammates. We chat, we rally for each other… there is a balance. That’s what makes it fun for me and why I love it so much. Swimming is mainly an individual sport, but the team energy is infectious. We support and help each other.
What about mathematics?
When you go to an event of the Math Olympiad, you wouldn’t even know it’s a competition. Everybody is extremely nice, it’s a tight-knit community, and there is just one shared purpose: We all love math! At the end of the day, the only competition is you versus the problem you are trying to solve, not you versus the other participants. It’s a very healthy environment. When you don’t understand something, you ask your friends for help. Of course, during the exam you are focused on solving the problems by yourself, but as soon as you leave the exam hall, everyone is asking each other: “How did it go for you?” “How did you solve this problem?” In that way, swimming and the Math Olympiad are very similar; between the races and exams everyone supports each other.
It’s also very playful – there is a big gaming culture at the Math Olympiad.
It’s also very playful – there is a big gaming culture at the Math Olympiad. I learned this game called Tichu when I first participated. It’s the first thing we teach new participants! There are tournaments for Tichu, chess, or other games such as Hanabi, which take place during the entire duration of the camp. The prize there is not a medal - just bragging rights. Or an extra piece of dessert, which is definitely worth fighting for.
It sounds like mathematicians know how to combine play, competition and learning...
I think playfulness is important, especially in the early stages of learning something new. If you bring in play into that it makes it more interesting and engaging which can really make or break a person’s interest in the thing they are learning about. Play is a good way for getting involved, but it is not everything.
In our annual series "Play", we explore the importance of play for learning. Apart from discussing the topic with a researcher, we talk to participants about their favorite games, their hobbies and the role of play and competition in their life and their Olympiad experience.
Tell us about a setback in one of your hobbies. How did you overcome it?
I was injured just a few weeks ago, actually. I had six weeks of physiotherapy, it was awful because just before that, I had been on my way to achieving better endurance for the 200 medley, where you swim with all four strokes and do 50 meters of each. It’s hard, you need endurance plus skill plus speed. But because of my injury I was unable to take part in the competitions of the season.
That was a minor recent challenge. I faced a more major setback back in 2019. I was set to go to the national swimming competitions in India. Right before the qualifications, I caught dengue fever, which is a severe disease you can contract from mosquito bites, like malaria. I lost all my conditioning and after that, things really went downhill: during recovery I hurt my shoulder, then I caught Covid, then there were nationwide lockdowns… all in all, I lost about two years of my swimming training.
At that point, I moved to Switzerland. At first, I had no intention of getting back into the sport. I thought I had passed my prime. Then I just started going to the pool casually, for fun, and eventually I thought to myself: “Come on. This is my thing.” So, I started training on my own for a while and then joined the school team. I am still not as good as I used to be, but I am doing my best. This to me really showed me that you can hit rock bottom but still return to your passion.
It’s impressive that you managed to push through this defeat in the past! What are your plans for the future?
My dream is to study mathematics at ETH Zurich. I don’t know German well enough yet, so I am planning to take a gap year to improve my German. I used to think about going to university in the UK. Then I met all these volunteers who study at ETH at the Math Olympiad, and they inspired me. These people are just so cool!
I used to think about going to university in the UK. Then I met all these volunteers who study at ETH at the Math Olympiad, and they inspired me. These people are just so cool!
You are planning to make one of your passions your subject of study. What place do you think your other passions will have in your life?
The balance between math, sports and music has really helped me as an individual and I think it’s very important for my personal development. I will continue all of them, maybe not competitively. I would love to continue performing music and hopefully there is a swim team I can join at university.
Are you strictly a pool person or do you also swim in nature, for example the beautiful Swiss lakes?
No, I love the Zurich lake! Swimming in a lake is so relaxing. Going on a hike and then jumping into a refreshing lake. that sounds like the perfect day to me.
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