Indian mathematician Mahesh Kakde, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, has received the 2026 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from Developing Countries in recognition of his significant contributions to algebraic number theory.
The award is jointly presented by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the International Mathematical Union (IMU). It honours mathematicians below the age of 45 who have carried out exceptional research while based in developing countries. Kakde’s research has significant implications for Hilbert’s 12th problem, one of the 23 renowned mathematical problems presented by German mathematician David Hilbert in 1900, according to ICTP.
Kakde’s main field of research is algebraic number theory, a branch of mathematics that “uses structures such as fields and groups to study problems involving integers and their generalisations,” a statement from ICTP said.
Following his doctorate, Kakde served as an instructor of mathematics at Princeton University before joining University College London as a research associate.
