India pips Canada, wins bid to host mathematics 'Nobel'

[Justin Joseph]

India pips Canada, wins bid to host mathematics 'Nobel'

NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, the Fields Medal — popularly known as the Nobel Prize for mathematics — will be announced from Indian soil.

India has won the bid over Canada to host the prestigious International Congress of Mathematicians 2010, the inaugural function of which will see announcement of the medal's latest winner, most probably by President Pratibha Patil.

The Congress, which was first held way back in 1897, will take place in Hyderabad from August 19-27. The Fields Medal is awarded to the world's best mathematicians at the Congress, held once every four years. But unlike the Nobel, winners of the Medal can't be over 40 years of age. This is one reason why many great mathematicians have missed it, having done their best work or having had their work recognised too late in life.

Founded at the behest of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, the medal was first awarded in 1936 to Finnish mathematician Lars Ahlfors and American mathematician Jesse Douglas, and has been periodically awarded since 1950. No Indian has ever won it.

Hyderabad will also see the installing of a new prize — the Chern Prize — named after S S Chern, a towering figure in geometry in the 20th century.

Interestingly, there will be another first this year for the Congress — a unique International Congress of Women Mathematicians, a very exclusive club — two days before the ICM.

Over 400 women mathematicians have already registered for the Congress. The good news is that around 150 are from India. The conference will have another attraction — it will see 40 mathematicians play chess against world champion Vishwanathan Anand.

India pips Canada, wins bid to host mathematics 'Nobel' - India - The Times of India

 

[Chanakyaa]

Great.
Its a great moment for Ramanuman and Aryabhatt's motherland.

jai ho.

 

[Jade]

India pips Canada, wins bid to host mathematics 'Nobel'

NEW DELHI: For the first time ever, the Fields Medal — popularly known as the Nobel Prize for mathematics — will be announced from Indian soil.

India has won the bid over Canada to host the prestigious International Congress of Mathematicians 2010, the inaugural function of which will see announcement of the medal's latest winner, most probably by President Pratibha Patil.

The Congress, which was first held way back in 1897, will take place in Hyderabad from August 19-27. The Fields Medal is awarded to the world's best mathematicians at the Congress, held once every four years. But unlike the Nobel, winners of the Medal can't be over 40 years of age. This is one reason why many great mathematicians have missed it, having done their best work or having had their work recognised too late in life.

Founded at the behest of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, the medal was first awarded in 1936 to Finnish mathematician Lars Ahlfors and American mathematician Jesse Douglas, and has been periodically awarded since 1950. No Indian has ever won it.

Hyderabad will also see the installing of a new prize — the Chern Prize — named after S S Chern, a towering figure in geometry in the 20th century.

Interestingly, there will be another first this year for the Congress — a unique International Congress of Women Mathematicians, a very exclusive club — two days before the ICM.

Over 400 women mathematicians have already registered for the Congress. The good news is that around 150 are from India. The conference will have another attraction — it will see 40 mathematicians play chess against world champion Vishwanathan Anand.

India pips Canada, wins bid to host mathematics 'Nobel' - India - The Times of India

Actually, the Fields medals are instituted and awarded by International Mathematical Union (IMU). Apart from the Fields medal, IMU also awards Rolf Nevanlinna Prize, Carl Friedrich Gauss Prize, Chern Medal, Abel Prize, and Ramanujan Prize; Chern Medal being the newest one.

The last one the Ramanujan Prize—one named after the greatest Indian Mathematician of all times—is awarded annually to a researcher from a developing country less than 45 years old. The funny thing is that it was created by Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics—one named after the greatest physicist of Pakistan.

I am really proud that the prizes will be announced on Indian Soil, a clear indication of India’s contribution to pure sciences. I also heard that Grigori Perelman, whose proof of the Poincare conjecture is legendary and who declined Fields Medal in 2006 is also coming to India for the function