Academic fields like Mathematics and Statistics have always been male-dominated zones. Which is why we need women like Dr Neena Gupta, who not only break the mould but also make strides in the area.
Born in Kolkata, Dr Neena Gupta was recently awarded the 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for young mathematicians from developing countries. According to The Indian Express, she received this award for her “outstanding work in affine algebraic geometry and commutative algebra, in particular for her solution to the Zariski cancellation problem for affine spaces.”
Prestigious Ramanujan Prize
Prof Neena Gupta, mathematician, faculty member of Indian Statistical Institute wins
She earlier won Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize
Indian National Science Academy AwardShe solved algebra’s 70-year-old unsolved Zariski Cancellation Problem 👏🌷 pic.twitter.com/1h3BB5BYHo
— Dr. M V Rao, IAS (@mvraoforindia) December 12, 2021
A brilliant mathematician and a professor at Indian Statistical Institute, Dr Gupta said that while she is humbled by the recognition, a lot of work is yet to be done.
“I feel honoured to receive this prize however, this is not enough. As a researcher, I feel there are lot more mathematical problems that we have to find a solution for. Getting recognised for the work definitely motivates to do work harder in the research field.”
According to The Print, The Zariski Cancellation Problem is a fundamental problem in algebraic geometry, and often described as among the world’s greatest mathematical problems. However, not many people had the confidence that Dr Gupta could crack it.
“My colleagues have always been supportive of me, and even as one of the few women in the field, I have not faced any discrimination. But I think they didn’t have confidence in me. None of them thought I could make it,” she told The Print.
Indian #Mathematician Prof Neena Gupta receives 2021 DST-ICTP-IMU Ramanujan Prize for Young Mathematicians from Developing Countries for her outstanding work in affine algebraic #geometry & commutative #Algebra .
➡️https://t.co/SSc3vMbw1x pic.twitter.com/wWJrtPTaCy
— DSTIndia (@IndiaDST) December 10, 2021
The Ramanujan prize is given internationally to young mathematicians under the age of 45 for their outstanding work in the field. Before Dr Gupta, only 2 other women and 3 other Indians, all from ISI, have received the prize, reports News18.
After completing her BSc in Bethune College, Kolkata, Dr Neena Gupta went on to pursue her masters and PhD in Mathematics from ISI.
“The initial idea instituted in me was to get a decent degree and get married. That’s what my family had taught me till the time I was in college. But once they realised my interest in the subject, they motivated me to continue pursuing my interest. My mother has been the biggest support throughout my life and because of her sacrifices I was able to pursue higher education,” she said.
Talking about being a female in the male-dominated field, she said:
“Earlier during my post-graduation, I was the only girl in my class. But now when I am a professor, I see more women pursuing the maths field. One reason could be awareness among youth as well as parents who now give opportunities to their daughters to pursue their interests.”
Kudos to Dr Gupta for this remarkable feat. We hope your stories inspires many young girls to break the glass ceiling!