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Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
7 Indian origin mathematicians in the US: Where did they study?
Manjul Bhargava, Manindra Agrawal, S. R. Srinivasa Varadhan, and Sanjeev Arora. In the field of mathematics, several Indian-origin scholars have made lasting contributions while being associated with institutions in the US. These mathematicians have shaped diverse areas ranging from number theory and statistics to optimisation and computational complexity. Their academic journeys and institutional affiliations reflect the global nature of mathematical research. Seven mathematicians of Indian origin who have worked or are working in the US are highlighted below, focusing on where they studied and their key academic contributions. Harish-Chandra Mehrotra Harish-Chandra Mehrotra (1923–1983) was born in Kanpur, India. He pursued his doctoral studies at Cambridge University under the supervision of Paul Dirac. He later became a prominent figure at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, US. His principal contribution was in representation theory and harmonic analysis on semisimple Lie groups. He developed the Harish-Chandra transform, a critical tool in the study of Lie groups. In 1953, he was awarded the Bôcher Memorial Prize by the American Mathematical Society. Although considered for the Fields Medal, he did not receive it. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao Calyampudi Radhakrishna Rao (1920–2023) was born in Karnataka, India. He pursued his education at Cambridge University, where he laid the groundwork for many contributions in statistics. His most recognised achievements include the Cramer-Rao Bound and the Rao-Blackwell Theorem, both of which are central to estimation theory. He also worked extensively on orthogonal arrays. Later in his career, he was based in the US, where he received the US National Medal of Science. He was also a recipient of the Padma Vibhushan. Narendra Karmarkar Narendra Karmarkar (born 1958) was born in India and earned a degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. He obtained his PhD in the US, following which he developed the well-known Karmarkar's algorithm during his tenure at AT&T Bell Laboratories. This algorithm marked a major advancement in linear programming by offering a polynomial-time method that was more efficient for large-scale problems than the simplex method. His work earned him the John von Neumann Theory Prize in 1989. Manjul Bhargava Manjul Bhargava (born 1974) was born in Canada to Indian parents and grew up in the US. He studied and now teaches at Princeton University. Bhargava's contributions to number theory include a new interpretation of Gauss's composition law and major work on quadratic forms and elliptic curves. He became the first mathematician of Indian origin to receive the Fields Medal in 2014. Manindra Agrawal Manindra Agrawal (born 1966) was born in India and earned his academic credentials from IIT Kanpur. While his most acclaimed work—the AKS primality test—was developed in collaboration with others in India, he has also been a visiting scholar and collaborator at institutions in the US. The AKS algorithm provided the first deterministic polynomial-time method for testing whether a number is prime. SR Srinivasa Varadhan SR Srinivasa Varadhan (born 1940) was born in Chennai, India. He completed his PhD at the Indian Statistical Institute before moving to the US, where he joined the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University in 1966. His work in probability theory, especially large deviation theory, has had applications in multiple fields including physics and finance. He received the Abel Prize in 2007. Sanjeev Arora Sanjeev Arora (born 1968) was born in India and received his PhD (1994) from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently a professor at Princeton University. His research spans approximation algorithms and computational complexity, including key work on the PCP theorem and learning algorithms. He has been awarded the Gödel Prize twice for his contributions to computer science. These mathematicians represent a diverse and impactful group whose academic roots span prestigious institutions in India, the UK, and the US Their careers reflect the transnational character of mathematical scholarship and research excellence. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China's cyber nationalists target maths star Hong Wang over lectures in English
It was a golden opportunity for academic exchange when Chinese mathematician Hong Wang , a contender for a top award, gave lectures at universities in Beijing last month, but instead her overseas experience and use of English made her an unexpected victim of rising nationalism in China. The 34-year-old mathematician earned global attention last year when a paper she co-authored solved the three-dimensional Kakeya conjecture – a century-old problem in geometric measure theory. The study, with implications for imaging, data processing, cryptography and wireless communication, makes her a leading contender for the Fields Medal, regarded as the Nobel Prize of mathematics. Winners of the prize, awarded every four years, will be announced next year. Wang was born in the southern city of Guilin. She graduated from Peking University then completed a postgraduate degree in France and a doctorate in the US. She is now an associate professor at the New York University Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. She will join Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques near Paris as a permanent professor of mathematics starting in September, according to an announcement in May. Last month, she gave seminars on her research at Peking University, Beijing International Centre for Mathematical Research, Capital Normal University, Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with every venue full and bustling with attendees.
India Today
5 days ago
- Science
- India Today
AI will soon crack any UG science problem: Mathematician Manjul Bhargava at IISc
'AI remains notoriously bad at doing math and science. We've all seen social media posts mocking AI's confident yet incorrect answers,' Bhargava said at IISc. India Today Education Desk AI will soon solve all undergraduate-level science, math problems: Bhargava Manjul Bhargava says AI is rapidly improving in science, maths accuracy IISc convocation: AI to reshape science education in coming years Well-known mathematician and Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava believes Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the brink of a quantam leap. Addressing the convocation ceremony at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on Thursday, he said that within the next one or two years, some AI models will be capable of solving any undergraduate-level science or mathematics problem with accuracy. 'AI remains notoriously bad at doing math and science. We've all seen social media posts mocking AI's confident yet incorrect answers,' Bhargava said. But that, he added, is changing fast. Having personally tested several advanced language models set to release in the coming years, Bhargava expressed confidence: 'Some AIs will soon be able to solve even tricky trigonometry questions with precision. What was once laughable may become reliable.' This rise of capable AI, he said, will also raise questions for the future of education and public policy. RETHINKING EDUCATION As AI systems improve, Bhargava posed a critical question: 'What happens to teaching at institutions like IISc when AI can solve most problems?' He noted that education may need to shift from rote learning to fostering creativity and interdisciplinary thinking. He urged educators and policymakers to start preparing for this shift now, noting that 'disruptive technologies bring not just new tools, but new responsibilities.' Bhargava also highlighted the need for ethical frameworks around AI. 'We will need new policies to ensure that as AI becomes more powerful, it is used responsibly,' he said. IISc CONVOCATION At the ceremony, IISc awarded degrees to 1,487 postgraduate and PhD students, and 106 undergraduates. Eighty-four students received medals for academic excellence. In a poignant moment, the Professor BG Raghavendra Memorial Medal was posthumously awarded to Somwanish Nikhil Chottu, a student from the Department of Management Studies who passed away earlier this year. The event reflected both the promise of the future and the challenges it brings, as one of India's top science institutions took stock of a rapidly changing world. Well-known mathematician and Fields Medal winner Manjul Bhargava believes Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the brink of a quantam leap. Addressing the convocation ceremony at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru on Thursday, he said that within the next one or two years, some AI models will be capable of solving any undergraduate-level science or mathematics problem with accuracy. 'AI remains notoriously bad at doing math and science. We've all seen social media posts mocking AI's confident yet incorrect answers,' Bhargava said. But that, he added, is changing fast. Having personally tested several advanced language models set to release in the coming years, Bhargava expressed confidence: 'Some AIs will soon be able to solve even tricky trigonometry questions with precision. What was once laughable may become reliable.' This rise of capable AI, he said, will also raise questions for the future of education and public policy. RETHINKING EDUCATION As AI systems improve, Bhargava posed a critical question: 'What happens to teaching at institutions like IISc when AI can solve most problems?' He noted that education may need to shift from rote learning to fostering creativity and interdisciplinary thinking. He urged educators and policymakers to start preparing for this shift now, noting that 'disruptive technologies bring not just new tools, but new responsibilities.' Bhargava also highlighted the need for ethical frameworks around AI. 'We will need new policies to ensure that as AI becomes more powerful, it is used responsibly,' he said. IISc CONVOCATION At the ceremony, IISc awarded degrees to 1,487 postgraduate and PhD students, and 106 undergraduates. Eighty-four students received medals for academic excellence. In a poignant moment, the Professor BG Raghavendra Memorial Medal was posthumously awarded to Somwanish Nikhil Chottu, a student from the Department of Management Studies who passed away earlier this year. The event reflected both the promise of the future and the challenges it brings, as one of India's top science institutions took stock of a rapidly changing world. Join our WhatsApp Channel
Time of India
5 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
AI will soon solve UG science, maths problems: Manjul Bhargava at IISc convocation in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Noted mathematician and Fields Medal recipient Manjul Bhargava Friday said within the next year or two, artificial intelligence (AI) systems will likely be capable of accurately solving undergraduate-level science problems. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) convocation in Bengaluru, Bhargava acknowledged the current limitations of AI in mathematics and science, pointing out how large language models often produce incorrect yet confidently worded answers. "However, AI is getting better every day," Bhargava said. Having tested some of the latest versions of language models not yet released to public, he said he was confident that future AI tools would be able to accurately handle complex undergraduate-level problems, including trigonometry. As these technologies evolve, Bhargava said they pose important questions for education systems. "What will happen to teaching at institutions like IISc when that happens [AI solving problems]? As AI does get better across subjects, we will have to constantly reassess, for example, what we should be teaching children in schools," he said. Bhargava, who's also a tabla player, emphasised the need for creativity and to think outside the box. 84 receive medals IISc awarded degrees to 1,487 PhD and Masters students and 106 undergraduates at its convocation ceremony, where 84 students from the 2023-24 and 2024-25 batches were recognised with medals for academic excellence. Most medallists are already engaged in research or industry roles. Among them was Shashi Kant Giri, a 2024-25 MTech graduate, who won the HR Babu Seetharam Medal. "I've joined an energy company working to reduce carbon footprint, but my broader goal is to contribute to India's deep-tech capabilities," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now JEE Main 2020 topper Gurkirat Singh, an integrated physics programme student, is headed to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for a PhD in condensed matter theory. "I've wanted to be a physicist since my teens," he said. ------- Box: A Medal Not Collected, A Life Remembered A moment of silence gripped the convocation hall Friday when the name of Nikhil Somwanshi was called among gold medallists. But, no one came forward to receive his medal. "Unfortunately, he passed away," the announcer said, pausing briefly as the audience sat in silence. Nikhil, a graduate of the master of management programme (Class of 2024), was posthumously awarded the Prof BG Raghavendra Memorial Medal. He was the sole medal recipient from his course. The 25-year-old had joined the AI division of a leading mobility company as a machine learning engineer. On May 8, 2025, his body was found in Agara Lake, and the police registered a case of unnatural death. His employer confirmed he was on leave at the time. At IISc's convocation, however, the focus was on remembrance — a silent tribute to a promising life cut short, and a medal that no one stepped up to collect.
The Hill
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Why the Saudis have been driving down the price of crude oil
Last month, following a collapse in the price of Brent crude to a four-year low, Saudi Arabia and its OPEC+ partners announced their second consecutive monthly supply hike. Doubtless this will be seen in some quarters as an attempt to please President Trump, who promised his voters cheaper oil and recently praised the Saudi crown prince as 'an incredible man' and 'great guy.' Others will likely see it as a strategic blunder. Both interpretations on this apparently ill-timed decision are misguided. To understand why, we have to go back to 2020. Our real-time satellite monitoring of oil inventories had shown that the world was rapidly running out of space to store the crude oil that, thanks to the inertia caused by COVID-19 and the lockdowns, was no longer wanted at the same rate. Yet soon after the world went into lockdown, Saudi Arabia and Russia initiated an oil price war. It was widely received as a spectacular blunder, but my colleagues and I at Kayrros suspected there might be some method to the madness. The Edmond model Using the principles of game theory, our team, which includes Fields Medal laureate Pierre-Louis Lions and Jean-Michel Lasry, developed the Edmond model. This showed that to make as much money as possible, big low-cost producers such as Saudi Arabia had to strike a balance between selling at the highest price and having the greatest market share. Though OPEC may say its job is to keep prices stable, in fact the market swings up and down. When prices are up, Saudi Arabia and others make more money, but the smaller, higher-cost producers also start pumping more oil in an attempt to cash in. That extra supply, eventually, leads to price crashes. The big players know this. So after letting others flood the market, they strike back. They open the taps, flood the market themselves, and crash prices on purpose. The worse the crash, the more damage is done to the smaller players. The goal for the big players is to force their smaller rivals out. The fall in oil demand and subsequent price crash caused by COVID was worse than ever. Russia and Saudi Arabia saw this as a chance to push the system to its limits and see how much oil the world could physically store. With inventories full, prices went negative. Weaker competitors were squeezed out. Many U.S. shale producers went bankrupt. And both Saudi and Russia increased their power in the oil market. Déjà vu These crashes tend to need a trigger. In 2020, it was COVID-19. But in the late 1990s, it was the Asian financial crisis. In 2014, it was the U.S. shale oil boom. Today, the volatility caused by the policies of the U.S. administration marks another such trigger. With the supply of U.S. crude rising, and with some of the smaller OPEC+ members flouting quotas, Riyadh again seems to be preparing to act. As the Edmond model showed, it is worth Saudi Arabia enduring short-term pain to consolidate its share of the market, force out smaller rivals and send a message to any future competitors. What makes these circumstances different is that Trump has actively called for OPEC to increase its supply so that he can satisfy the desire among American voters for cheaper oil. In other words, he has given his counterparts in Riyadh a license to crash the market. Should prices keep falling, this would force U.S. oil companies to stop producing, and for a lengthy period. If markets are expecting a rally, or even stability, they are likely to be disappointed. And at the end of it all, Saudi Arabia, the great masters of the oil game, will be just where they want to be. Antoine Rostand is co-founder and president of global climate technology company Kayrros, where co-founder Antoine Halff serves as chief analyst.
