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Rudranath Capildeo was born on February 2nd 1920 in Chaguanas,
Trinidad. He lived at the famous “Lion House”. A former national
scholarship winner, he attended Queen’s Royal College (QRC). He
began studies in medicine at Oxford University, but switched to
Mathematics at the University College London due to illness.
He completed an intermediate Bachelor of Science degree and
graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (First Class
Honours) in 1943. Capildeo returned to Trinidad and taught
mathematics at QRC for a brief period. He furthered his studies
at the University College London gaining a Master of Science and
a Doctorate in Mathematical Physics in 1945 and 1948
respectively.
He was a gifted educator in mathematics and physics. He spent
most of his teaching life at the University College London, but
also taught at other institutions including Westfield College in
London and the University of Khartoum, Sudan. He was the first
principal of the Trinidad Polytechnic School.
Capildeo was a considered an outstanding scholar whose ability
to manipulate mathematical techniques enabled him to solve any
problem. Relativity, vector algebra and mechanics engaged the
mind of this scientist. The Flexure Problem in Elasticity (Ph.D.
thesis), a topic with practical implication in aerodynamics, was
one of several research works written by him. He also published
a book on mathematics entitled “Vector Algebra and Mechanics:
Theory, Problems and Solutions”.
Regarding his interest in Einstein’s theory of relativity,
Capildeo stated that his purpose in researching this theory was
not to contradict, but rather fortify, complete and review areas
of uncertainty.
He studied law in London while researching Einstein’s work, and
was admitted to practise as a Barrister-at-Law in Trinidad and
Tobago in 1958. He later founded and led the Democratic Labour
Party (1960-1969), which helped draft the independence
constitution of Trinidad and Tobago. Dr. Capildeo was Leader of
the Opposition in Parliament while his former QRC classmate, Dr.
Eric Williams was Prime Minister.
Dr. Capildeo received the country's highest national award, the
Trinity Cross, from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago in
1969 for his outstanding achievements.
He died in England on 12th May 1970.
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