Indian mathematician Mahesh Kakde wins 2026 Ramanujan Prize for number theory

Kakde developed results that helped mathematicians understand these changes, including in cases where the systems do not behave in a simple, predictable way.The Ramanujan Prize adds to a growing list of honours for Mahesh Kakde. (Photo: Infosys Prize)New Delhi,Oct 7, 2026 13:43 ISTIndian mathematician Mahesh Kakde, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has been awarded the 2026 Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from Developing Countries for his important work in number theory.The prize is jointly awarded by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) and the International Mathematical Union (IMU). It recognises mathematicians under the age of 45 who have carried out outstanding research while working in developing countries.Kakde was recognised for fundamental work in algebraic number theory, particularly for solving important problems related to how numbers behave and how different mathematical structures are connected.WHAT IS ALGEBRAIC NUMBER THEORY?In simple terms, number theory is the study of numbers and their properties. Algebraic number theory takes this further by looking for hidden patterns and structures that can explain why numbers behave the way they do. One of Kakde’s major contributions is in an area called Iwasawa theory. At its heart, this involves studying how mathematical patterns change when numbers are extended into increasingly complicated systems. Kakde developed results that helped mathematicians understand these changes, including in cases where the systems do not behave in a simple, predictable way. He has also made important contributions to the Gross-Stark and Brumer-Stark conjectures. These are long-standing mathematical ideas that connect seemingly different areas of number theory.Kakde’s work has implications for Hilbert’s 12th problem, one of the 23 famous mathematical problems proposed by German mathematician David Hilbert in 1900. The problem asks, in broad terms, whether it is possible to systematically describe important numbers associated with different mathematical systems.Kakde's research helps mathematicians understand some of these deep connections between numbers, equations and mathematical structures.Born and educated in India, Kakde completed his Bachelor of Mathematics at the Indian Statistical Institute in Bengaluru before moving to the University of Cambridge, where he completed his master's degree and PhD in pure mathematics in 2008.He subsequently worked at Princeton University, University College London and King's College London before joining IISc as a professor in 2019.The Ramanujan Prize adds to a growing list of honours for Kakde. He received the Infosys Prize in Mathematical Sciences in 2022 and was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians. He was also named among Asian Scientist 100 in 2023.The Ramanujan Prize, established in 2005, carries a $10,000 cash award and celebrates exceptional mathematical research carried out under challenging conditions in developing countries.- Ends