Stanford Researcher Wins 2026 SASTRA-Ramanujan Award

Sarah Peluse, an Associate Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University in the United States, was announced on 25 September 2026 as the recipient of the SASTRA-Ramanujan Award for 2026. The award was established in 2005 and is given to mathematicians aged 32 and under for work in areas of mathematics influenced by Srinivasa Ramanujan.

SASTRA-Ramanujan Award

The SASTRA-Ramanujan Award carries a cash prize of $10,000 and a citation. It is presented annually by SASTRA and is linked to the mathematical legacy of Srinivasa Ramanujan, who was born on 22 December 1887 in Erode, Tamil Nadu.

Fields of Mathematics Recognised

Sarah Peluse was selected for contributions to analytic number theory, additive combinatorics, combinatorial geometry, and group theory. Analytic number theory studies integers using methods from mathematical analysis, while additive combinatorics examines additive structures in sets and groups.

Award Presentation and Previous Links

The 2026 award will be formally presented on 22 December 2026 at the SASTRA Campus in Thanjavur, India, on Srinivasa Ramanujan’s birthday. Kannan Soundararajan, Peluse’s Ph.D. advisor at Stanford University, was a joint winner of the inaugural SASTRA-Ramanujan Award in 2005.

Important Facts for Exams

• The SASTRA-Ramanujan Award was instituted in 2005.
• The award is meant for mathematicians aged 32 years and below.
• The prize amount is $10,000 along with a citation.
• Seven of the first 21 awardees later won the Fields Medal.

The Fields Medal is awarded by the International Mathematical Union every four years to mathematicians under 40 years of age. Srinivasa Ramanujan was one of India’s most celebrated mathematicians and worked mainly in number theory, infinite series, and continued fractions.