Gupta won Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award in Mathematical Sciences in 2019, Nari Shakti Award in 2021 and DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Award in 2021. Photo credit: Infosys Science Foundation
On the way to a conference dinner in Bengaluru in 2014, Neena Gupta, a postdoctoral student, was discussing a fundamental problem in algebraic geometry with a field expert, another student, and her great supervisor, SM Bhatwadekar.
The expert said that the Indians have already solved the problem. Bhatwadekar pointed to Gupta and said, ‘You sit next to that Indian.
“That kind of recognition is rare,” said Gupta, currently a professor at the Theoretical Statistics and Mathematics Unit at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata and recipient of the 2024 Infosys Prize in Mathematics.
She won the award in 1949 for her groundbreaking work on a fundamental problem in algebraic geometry called the Zariski cancellation problem, introduced by Oskar Juricki.
Gupta also won Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Award in Mathematical Sciences in 2019, Nari Shakti Award in 2021 and DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Award in 2021.
“It was a long journey to reach a solution. When I first encountered the problem, I thought I could solve it. My supervisor Dr. Amartya Kumar kindly told me that this was a very difficult problem. I spent a lot of time reading research papers and took some time to solve it. This is the first time I have tried an innovative approach,” she said Hindu.
That was not the end. As questions arose about the solution, she delved deeper into the problem. With the help of his then PhD students Parnasree Ghosh and Ananya Pal, he developed a theory around the solution that could then be used to find solutions in higher dimensions.
“There is no end to learning in this field,” Gupta said. “One of the best ways to increase your knowledge is to collaborate with people. You can learn from papers and books but when you collaborate in your learning.
He said that his mentor played an important role in his success. “I came to know about this area of my research through Dr Kumar’s lecture series which he was giving in the department. After I started working with him, he suggested papers and relevant research to further my knowledge. Mathematics is not a subject you can study alone. You need to talk to people, know what to read and how to proceed with research. He was patient and kind with my questions and encouraged me to follow my interests. “
“You really love what you’re doing. Academia can be quite frustrating. Not every problem will give you a eureka moment, but you have to persevere and work hard to get into this field,” she added.
Gupta espouses that mantra when talking to young female researchers who want to pursue careers in mathematics. “Every person is different, they think in their own way. Their background and thought process often bring a different perspective that really helps solve problems,” she said. .”
She also acknowledged that women face unique difficulties in mathematics. “Thirty years ago you could hardly find anyone who had completed class 10 or 12 but now the situation has changed and there is a high participation of women at least up to graduation, but very few of them actually go on to do a PhD and decide to continue. investigation.”
“Many times, women drop out in the middle because (they) have the dual responsibility of taking care of the family and excelling in their careers. It makes it very difficult. So having a supportive family is very important.”
“Things are changing now. We have Prof (Raman) Parimala and Sujatha (Ramdorai) leading the way. The government has many scholarships and fellowships for women who want to go back to research,” she added.
She said that organizations like Infosys Science Foundation are also playing a role. According to him, the recognition they provide through the award recognizes the hard work of researchers and also popularizes their work, which promotes more interest and cooperation.
published – December 22, 2024 at 07:59 pm IST