Rajesh Gopakumar
Encyclopedia
Rajesh Gopakumar is a theoretical physicist
at Harish-Chandra Research Institute
(HRI), Allahabad
, India
. He hails from the state of Kerala and was the 1987 topper in IIT-JEE.
at IIT Kanpur. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University
in 1997 under the supervision of David Gross
. After a few years as a research associate at Harvard University
, he joined HRI in 2001. He also held a visiting membership at the Institute for Advanced Study
, Princeton
from 2001-2004.
, where he is known for his work with Cumrun Vafa
on Gopakumar-Vafa duality and Gopakumar-Vafa invariants.
in 2009. He is a member of the Global Young Academy
, the Indian National Science Academy
, and the Indian Academy of Sciences
.
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
at Harish-Chandra Research Institute
Harish-Chandra Research Institute
The Harish-Chandra Research Institute is a research institution, named after the mathematician Harish-Chandra, located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is an autonomous institute, funded by the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India...
(HRI), Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He hails from the state of Kerala and was the 1987 topper in IIT-JEE.
Career
He did his undergraduate studies in PhysicsPhysics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at IIT Kanpur. He received his Ph.D. from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1997 under the supervision of David Gross
David Gross
David Jonathan Gross is an American particle physicist and string theorist. Along with Frank Wilczek and David Politzer, he was awarded the 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of asymptotic freedom. He is currently the director and holder of the Frederick W...
. After a few years as a research associate at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, he joined HRI in 2001. He also held a visiting membership at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
, Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
from 2001-2004.
Research Interest
His primary area of research is Topological string theoryTopological string theory
In theoretical physics, topological string theory is a simplified version of string theory. The operators in topological string theory represent the algebra of operators in the full string theory that preserve a certain amount of supersymmetry...
, where he is known for his work with Cumrun Vafa
Cumrun Vafa
Cumrun Vafa is an Iranian-American leading string theorist from Harvard University where he started as a Harvard Junior Fellow. He is a recipient of the 2008 Dirac Medal.-Birth and education:...
on Gopakumar-Vafa duality and Gopakumar-Vafa invariants.
Awards
Gopakumar was awarded the 2004 B.M. Birla Science Prize in Physics and the 2006 ICTP Prize. Rajesh Gopakumar also received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar AwardShanti Swarup Bhatnagar Award
The Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology is awarded annually by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research for notable and outstanding research, applied or fundamental, in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, mathematics, medicine and Physics...
in 2009. He is a member of the Global Young Academy
Global Young Academy
-Organization and membership:The academy is modeled after the German Junge Akademie and similar organizations in The Netherlands and Sudan.It has working groups on science education, science and society, early career development, and interdisciplinary issues....
, the Indian National Science Academy
Indian National Science Academy
The Indian National Science Academy , New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science & technology.-History:...
, and the Indian Academy of Sciences
Indian Academy of Sciences
The Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore was founded by Sir C. V. Raman, and was registered as a Society on 24 April 1934. Inaugurated on 31 July 1934, it began with 65 founding fellows. The first general meeting of Fellows, held on the same day, elected Professor Raman as President, and adopted...
.