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Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar

(MSC5/PHY/1992)

Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar is an eminent theoretical physicist whose pioneering work is helping to decode the baffling nature of quantum gravity. Currently, he serves as the director of the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS-TIFR), Bangalore. His work on a simplified version of string theory led to the discovery, with Cumrun Vafa, of the Gopakumar - Vafa duality and Gopakumar - Vafa invariants.




Profile

After securing the first rank in the JEE exams, Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar made the unconventional choice of joining the integrated M.Sc. program in Physics at IIT Kanpur in 1987 and completed the same in 1992. He not only excelled academically but also represented IITK at quizzing and other cultural activities, getting top honours at the then "Culfest" and similar events.


He then joined the Ph.D. program at Princeton University, USA, under the supervision of the 2004 Physics Nobel Laureate Dr. David Gross and completed it in 1997. After being a research associate at Harvard University, he returned to India and joined Harish-Chandra Research Institute as an Associate Professor in 2001. From 2001 to 2004, he also held a visiting membership at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.



Prof.Gopakumar is widely known for his work at the intersection of string theory and quantum field theory. His research has been primarily focused towards understanding the gauge-string duality, which connects string theory to topics such as quark confinement. He has also worked on topological string theory, non-commutative field theories, often with the recurring, unifying theme of understanding the large N limit of gauge theories. He is a founding member of the Global Young Academy, which grew out of an initiative by TWAS. He is also a Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Indian National Science Academy and the National Academy of Sciences (India). He is also an elected fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS). Since 2015, Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar has been serving as the Director of ICTS-TIFR, where he is a Distinguished Professor.

He is a recipient of several prestigious awards and recognitions including the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award for Physical Sciences in 2009. In his words, "Doing science is fun and we shouldn't lose sight of that (or horror, destroy it!) while we put in place institutional structures."

Achievements and Honors

  • INSA Distinguished Lecture Fellowship in Physical Sciences (2024)
  • Frontiers of Science Award, International Congress for Basic Sciences (2023).
  • Recipient of Distinguished Alumnus Award (Academic Excellence), 2019 from IIT Kanpur.
  • The World Academy of Sciences Award (TWAS) for Physical Sciences, 2013.
  • G. D. Birla Science Award, 2013.
  • Fellow of the Global Young Academy of Scientists, 2010.
  • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award in Physical Sciences, CSIR, Govt. of India, 2009.
  • Wick Prize of the ICTP, 2006.
  • Swarnajayanthi Fellowship, 2006.
  • B. M. Birla Science Prize in Physics, 2004.

Last updated Feb 12, 2026