Placeholder canvas
 
Close
Igniting Ideas For impact

Embarking on a transformative journey through six chapters, we traverse India's landscape, exploring pioneering startups and their revolutionary...

8 months

Delhi-Born Child Prodigy Akshay Venkatesh Wins The ‘Nobel of Maths’!

The renowned Indian-origin mathematician was just 13 when he became the youngest person to study at the University of Western Australia!

Delhi-Born Child Prodigy Akshay Venkatesh Wins The ‘Nobel of Maths’!

Akshay Venkatesh, a 36-year-old Indian-origin mathematician teaching at Stanford University in the United States, is one of the four winners of the prestigious Fields Medal, considered to be the Nobel Prize equivalent for mathematics.

He was presented with the medal at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro.

Awarded once every four years to exceptional mathematicians below the age of 40 who have made game-changing contributions to the field, Venkatesh was awarded this medal for his “profound contributions to an exceptionally broad range of subjects in mathematics,” and “strikingly far-reaching conjectures.”

Akshay Venkatesh (Source: Facebook/CBS Science Club)
Akshay Venkatesh (Source: Facebook/CBS Science Club)

Besides Venkatesh, the other three winners of this award are Caucher Birkar, a professor of Iranian-Kurdish origin at Cambridge University, Peter Scholze from Germany and Alessio Figalli, an Italian mathematician teaching at ETH Zurich. All winners will receive 15,000 Canadian dollars as cash prize.

Venkatesh moved to Perth, Australia, with his parents when he was just two years old. A child prodigy, he graduated from high school at the age of 13, graduated from the University of Western Australia top of his class in mathematics when he was 16, and earned his PhD at 20.

He also won medals in both the physics and math Olympiads (premier international competition for high school students) at the age of 11 and 12, respectively. Following his PhD, he held a doctoral position at MIT and is currently a professor in Stanford University.

Also Read: Reel vs Real: Why This Math Wizard from Bihar is Getting a Biopic On His Life!

According to the Press Trust of India, he has “worked at the highest level in number theory, arithmetic geometry, topology, automorphic forms and ergodic theory,” besides winning a host of other awards like “Ostrowski Prize, the Infosys Prize, the Salem Prize and Sastra Ramanujan Prize.”

The mathematician was “recognised for his use of dynamics theory, which studies the equations of moving objects to solve problems in number theory, which is the study of whole numbers, integers and prime numbers,” according to The Guardian.

“A lot of the time when you do math, you’re stuck, but at the same time, there are all these moments where you feel privileged that you get to work with it. You have this sensation of transcendence; you feel like you’ve been part of something really meaningful,” he told The Guardian.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

This story made me

  • feel inspired icon
    97
  • more aware icon
    121
  • better informative icon
    89
  • do something icon
    167

Tell Us More


We bring stories straight from the heart of India, to inspire millions and create a wave of impact. Our positive movement is growing bigger everyday, and we would love for you to join it.

Please contribute whatever you can, every little penny helps our team in bringing you more stories that support dreams and spread hope.

Support the biggest positivity movement section image Support the biggest positivity movement section image
Shorts

Shorts

See All
 
X
 
Sign in to get free benefits
  • Get positive stories daily on email
  • Join our community of positive ambassadors
  • Become a part of the positive movement