Ramanujan Prize
Why in News?
The 2026 Ramanujan Prize has been awarded to Prof. Mahesh Kakde of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, for major contributions to algebraic number theory.
About the 2026 Winner
- The International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the International Mathematical Union (IMU) announced the award recognizing his groundbreaking contributions to pure mathematics. He is the fifth Indian to receive this distinct global honour.
- Recipient: Professor Mahesh Kakde, a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
- Core Research Focus: He was awarded for his outstanding research in algebraic number theory and noncommutative Iwasawa theory.
- Key Achievements: His work includes significant breakthroughs on the Gross-Stark and Brumer-Stark conjectures. These mathematical advancements have profound implications for Hilbert’s 12th problem, which is one of the 23 historic, unresolved mathematical problems posed by David Hilbert in 1900.
About the Ramanujan Prize
- Inception: The prize was established in 2004 and first awarded in 2005. It is named in honour of the legendary self-taught Indian mathematical genius, Srinivasa Ramanujan.
- Administering Bodies: It is jointly funded and administered by the ICTP (based in Italy) and the IMU. The Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of India has also historically supported and funded the prize.
- Eligibility Criteria:
- The researcher must be under 45 years of age as of December 31st of the award year.
- The researcher must have conducted outstanding mathematical research in a developing country.
- Open to researchers working in any branch of the mathematical sciences.
- Prize Reward: The award carries a cash prize of $10,000 to $15,000 USD along with an exclusive invitation to deliver a lecture at the ICTP headquarters.
