Ramanujan Prize Interview and Ceremony

Amalendu Krishna shares a history with many of the developing-world mathematicians and scientists who pass through ICTP each year. Against great odds--including poverty, poor educational systems and limited career choices--he and thousands of others have followed their dreams to achieve academic excellence.

He shares his struggles and experiences with ICTP Mathematics Section Head Fernando Villegas in an interview published today on ICTP's YouTube page.

Krishna, who had no exposure to pure mathematics until he was an undergraduate at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), is the 2015 recipient of the Ramanujan Prize. The annual prize is given jointly by ICTP, the International Mathematical Union and the Government of India to a researcher from a developing country who is less than 45 years of age and who has conducted outstanding research in a developing country.

Krishna credits his teachers at ISI with steering him towards mathematics, and offers encouraging advice to others who may face daunting challenges. "If you have an interest in anything--be it mathematics or any subject you want to excel in--keep looking for opportunities and persist in what you want to do," he says in an interview conducted by ICTP Mathematics section head Fernando Villegas.

Krishna will give a lecture during the Ramanujan Prize Ceremony to be held Thursday 3 September at ICTP.  The event will be streamed live on ICTP's website starting at 16:00.

The citation of Krishna's Ramanujan Prize is here.