Rajula Srivastava: From NISER Bhubaneswar to the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize
At just 15, Rajula Shrivastav knew she wanted to become a mathematician. That early conviction shaped a journey that has now earned her one of the most prestigious honours in modern mathematics, the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize.
The news arrived through an unexpected Zoom call from Terence Tao, widely regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians alive. Rajula initially thought the call was a prank. It wasn’t. Tao congratulated her for her original and challenging contributions to harmonic analysis and analytic number theory.
Growing Up with Numbers
Rajula grew up in an Indian family that valued science and curiosity. Mathematics appealed to her because of its logic and structure. Once she understood a concept, she didn’t need rote learning. That clarity gave her confidence and joy.
She joined National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) in Bhubaneswar for an integrated master’s degree. There, she immersed herself in harmonic analysis, a field that studies how complex signals or waves break down into basic frequencies much like understanding music by isolating its notes.
Exploring Higher Dimensions
At NISER, Rajula pushed beyond one-dimensional problems. Her research expanded into complex geometric shapes and higher dimensions. She studied how vibrations and waves behave in three-dimensional space and beyond, uncovering patterns that link geometry with analysis.
Later, she connected harmonic analysis with number theory. This led her to tackle difficult problems involving the counting of rational points on multidimensional grids near curved surfaces like spheres or helices. These questions play a key role in advanced areas such as Diophantine approximation.
Standing Strong in Male-Dominated Spaces
Rajula’s academic path wasn’t easy. At NISER, she was one of only two women studying mathematics. Instead of feeling discouraged, she stayed focused. Abroad, she often found herself as the only brown woman in academic rooms. She transformed that isolation into inner strength and determination.
Her journey highlights resilience as much as intellect. She chose to let her work speak louder than her circumstances.
Mathematics as Meditation & Creativity
For Rajula, mathematics goes far beyond equations and proofs. She views it as a deeply creative and meditative process. An idea forms in the mind, logic shapes it, and proof makes it eternal. Once proven, a mathematical truth never changes.
This philosophy drives her research and keeps her motivated through long, complex problems that demand patience and imagination.
Global Academic Journey
Rajula completed her PhD at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2022. She later became a Hirzebruch Research Instructor, working with both the University of Bonn and the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics.
She currently serves as a visiting fellow at the University of Edinburgh and plans to return to Wisconsin soon, where she will continue advancing her research.
The Prize and a Purpose
The Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize includes a $50,000 award. Rajula plans to donate part of this amount to organizations in India that support children’s education. She credits her mentors and the many women mathematicians who inspired her along the way.
The prize has strengthened her resolve and brought greater attention to the interdisciplinary field she works in. More importantly, it has made her journey visible to young students who dream of mathematics.
The Rajula Srivastava profile stands as a powerful reminder that clarity of purpose, resilience, and creativity can push the boundaries of human knowledge—and inspire the next generation to do the same.
