The Gan–Gross–Prasad conjecture represents a significant area of focus within modern number theory, linking automorphic representations to specific geometric properties. Dipendra Prasad, a mathematician born in 1960, has advanced this field through his extensive research into classical groups and branching laws, establishing a career that spans several decades and multiple prestigious academic institutions across India.
Academic Formation
Prasad completed his initial undergraduate studies at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, graduating in 1978. He continued his academic training at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, where he finished a Masters degree in 1980. Following this, he spent five years as a research scholar at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai. He later moved abroad to pursue his doctoral research, ultimately earning his PhD from Harvard in 1989 under the supervision of Benedict Gross.
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His professional trajectory began at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, where he served as a research assistant, fellow, and reader between 1989 and 1997. During the 1992–1993 academic year, he held a membership at the Institute for Advanced Study. He later transitioned to the Harish-Chandra Research Institute in Allahabad, serving as an associate professor and then a full professor from 1994 until 2004. He returned to the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research for a lengthy tenure lasting until 2019, when he accepted an appointment at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Professional Contributions
Prasad has held various leadership roles within the international and domestic scientific community. He served as the president of the Commission for Developing Countries of the International Mathematical Union from 2018 to 2022 and held the presidency of the Indian Math Society from 2021 to 2022. Currently, he serves as the Chairman of the National Board of Higher Mathematics in India. His research output includes numerous publications in journals such as the American Journal of Mathematics, Compositio Mathematica, and Advances in Mathematics.
Awards and Distinctions
The Government of India recognized his contributions to mathematical sciences by awarding him the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 2002. His other honors include the Swarna Jayanti Fellowship in 1999 and the JC Bose award in 2010. In 2018, he delivered an invited talk at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro. He is an elected fellow of the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian Academy of Sciences, and The National Academy of Sciences, India, and he received the TWAS Prize for Mathematics in 2019.
Fast facts
- Born: 1960
- Citizenship: India
- Doctoral Supervisor: Benedict Gross
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize: 2002
- TWAS Prize for Mathematics: 2019
- Current Position: Chairman, National Board of Higher Mathematics
- Notable Research Area: Gan–Gross–Prasad conjecture
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Dipendra Prasad's research?
He is a number theorist specializing in automorphic representations, branching laws, and the Gan–Gross–Prasad conjecture.
Where is Dipendra Prasad currently based?
He is an Emeritus Fellow at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Achievements
- Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology — 2002
- TWAS Prize for Mathematics — 2019
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