ICTS Professor Deepak Dhar Awarded Prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal
ICTP honored Dhar and three other physicists for work showing how simple interactions can produce complex behavior in large systems.
- On Monday, the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences announced that distinguished professor Deepak Dhar has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal, an honor considered among the highest in physics.
- Dhar's work on the sandpile model demonstrates how simple interactions in large systems spontaneously trigger complex, unpredictable behavior such as avalanches, earthquakes, and financial market fluctuations.
- Dhar shares the honor with physicists Bernard Derrida, Marc Mezard, and Haim Sompolinsky. Director Atish Dabholkar noted the collective work establishes statistical mechanics as a powerful framework for biology and computer science.
- Instituted in 1985, the Dirac Medal is awarded annually by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics to honor physicist Paul Dirac, with previous recipients including renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking.
- An INSA Distinguished Professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Bengaluru, Dhar has dedicated decades to statistical physics and was previously recognized with the Padma Bhushan in 2023.
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Indian professor Deepak Dhar receives Dirac Medal: Who is the IIT Kanpur and California Institute laureate to receive one of the highest honours in theoretical physics
Professor Deepak Dhar has been honored with the 2026 Dirac Medal for his groundbreaking research in statistical mechanics, a testament to his remarkable contributions to various scientific disciplines. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, he studied at Allahabad University and IIT Kanpur before earning his PhD at Caltech under the mentorship of Richard Feynman. Returning to India, Dhar has made significant impacts at institutions like TIFR and ICTS Be…
ICTS professor Deepak Dhar awarded prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal
The International Centre for Theoretical Sciences has said that its professor Deepak Dhar has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal, recognising his contributions to statistical mechanics and complex systems.
ICTS Professor Deepak Dhar Honoured With 2026 Dirac Medal
Professor Deepak Dhar of the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Dirac Medal for his significant contributions to statistical mechanics and complex systems. He shares the honour with three other scientists for their pioneering work extending statistical mechanics into diverse fields like AI and theoretical neuroscience.
Indian professor receives Dirac Medal, joins elite list of physics giants including Stephen Hawking
Professor Deepak Dhar has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal for contributions to statistical mechanics. He has also received the Padma Bhushan (2023), one of the highest civilian awards of India.
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