Dr. Neena Gupta of the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, recently secured the Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians. She is the fourth Indian and the third woman to win the coveted prize.
Dr. Gupta received the ‘2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from developing countries’ for her work in algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, as per reports. The award, which was instituted in 2005, is meant for those working in the field across the globe and are below 45 years of age.
This award in honor of the mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan is presented every year by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) on 21 December, coinciding with the birth anniversary of the legend. It is sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
Prominent mathematicians, who looked at her work, lauded it, observing that it ‘demonstrates impressive algebraic skill and inventiveness.’
Earlier, Dr. Gupta also won the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award (2019) in the category of mathematical sciences – it is the highest honor in India in the field of science and technology.
Such recognitions provide a fillip to ensure more participation by women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
While India has a lot of women pursuing courses in the field, fewer women are entering the field for different reasons—gender pay gap, lack of support, etc. Awardees like Professor Gupta inspire and boost the interest among women to take up path-breaking research.
