Sasanka De Silva

Grigori Perelman is a brilliant Russian mathematician who is best known for his groundbreaking work in geometry and topology. He was born in Leningrad (now known as Saint Petersburg) on June 13, 1966, and grew up in a family of mathematicians.

Perelman’s most famous achievement is his proof of the Poincare conjecture”, which had been one of the most important unsolved problems in mathematics for over a century.

He published his proof in three papers between 2002 and 2003, and it was widely recognized as a breakthrough in the field of topology.

For his work, Perelman was awarded the prestigious Fields Medal” in 2006, which is considered the highest honour in mathematics.

However, Perelman famously refused to accept the Fields Medal, as well as a one-million-dollar cash award that was offered to him by the Clay Mathematics Institute. Perelman’s decision to turn down these honours was seen by many as a reflection of his eccentric personality and his disdain for the politics and culture of the mathematics community.

In interviews, Perelman expressed his belief that mathematics should be pursued for its own sake, rather than for personal glory or financial gain. He also criticized the way that mathematicians often compete with each other for awards and recognition, rather than collaborating to advance the field as a whole.

Despite his refusal of these honours, Perelman remains widely admired in the mathematics community for his groundbreaking contributions to the field. His work has had a profound impact on our understanding of the fundamental structures of space and geometry, and his legacy will continue to inspire generations of mathematicians to come.