M. S. Raghunathan, Mathematician
Mathematician

M. S. Raghunathan

Born 11 August 1941 · verify

Proved the Raghunathan conjecture on discrete subgroups of Lie groups in mathematics.

Madabusi Santanam Raghunathan FRS is an Indian mathematician. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS) in Mumbai, India. Previously, he was the Head of the National Centre for Mathematics, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai. Formerly Professor of eminence at TIFR in Homi Bhabha Chair.

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A detail that
surprised us

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In 1955, Raghunathan accidentally left the exam hall with his Sanskrit answer paper, causing a commotion that almost forced a retake of his entire SSLC exam.

The Story

1
In 1963, M. S. Raghunathan solved a complex problem on "Deformations of linear connections and Riemannian metrics" under M. S. Narasimhan's guidance at TIFR, marking his early impact on geometric analysis.
2
🌟 By the 1980s, he led the National Centre for Mathematics at IIT Mumbai, steering mathematical research in India’s premier technical institute during a time of rapid scientific expansion.
3At just nineteen, in 1960, Raghunathan entered TIFR, embarking on what would become a half-century-long academic tenure in one of India's most elite research environments.
4📚 His scholarly lineage traces to M. S. Narasimhan, linking him to a legacy of Indian mathematicians deeply involved in the geometry of vector bundles and algebraic geometry.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2001
Padma Shri
2012
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

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In 1960, Raghunathan joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research at just nineteen, marking the beginning of an academic career at one of India’s most prestigious scientific institutions that spanned over fifty years.

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Through the Years

2 photographs from the archives
M. S. Raghunathan receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi (2012).
M. S. Raghunathan receiving the Padma Bhushan Award from President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi (2012).
2012
M. S. Raghunathan

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
M. S. Raghunathan was born in Anantapur, his maternal grandparents’ town, while his family resided in Chennai.
1941
📚
Education
Finished SSLC with exam incident
During the 1955 SSLC exams in Chennai, he mistakenly walked out with his Sanskrit answer sheet, almost forcing a retake until the headmaster intervened.
1955
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Career
Joined TIFR as a young scholar
At age nineteen, Raghunathan entered the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, beginning a remarkable academic tenure.
1960
⚡
Career
Solved key research problem
Completed his thesis on "Deformations of linear connections and Riemannian metrics" under advisor M. S. Narasimhan.
1963
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Career
Headed National Centre for Mathematics at IIT Mumbai
Led the National Centre for Mathematics, focusing on advancing research infrastructure at IIT Mumbai.
c.1980
⚡
Career
Joined Infosys Prize jury
Began serving on the Mathematical Sciences jury for the Infosys Prize, shaping recognition of Indian scientific talent.
2016
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
👤PERSONAL

His father, originally a physics student at IISc Bangalore, left his studies to manage and expand a timber export business to Europe and Japan, blending commerce and science in the family background.

02 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

Raghunathan’s maternal grandfather authored a book on William Makepeace Thackeray that was later reprinted in the United States without permission, indicating an early family encounter with intellectual property challenges.

Wikipedia
03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

He served on the International Mathematical Union and the Abel Prize Committee, positioning him at the center of global mathematical prize adjudication.

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🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Discourse - Mathematics in India
More from this archive
Discourse - Mathematics in India
01
Discourse - Mathematics in India
M S Raghunathan, On Ramanujan and personal reminiscences
02
M S Raghunathan, On Ramanujan and personal reminiscences

🌱 What changed because of them

Raghunathan’s leadership at the National Centre for Mathematics at IIT Mumbai and his long tenure at TIFR helped institutionalize advanced mathematical research in India. His presence on international committees like the Abel Prize and the Infosys Prize jury has fostered global recognition of Indian mathematicians. Additionally, his mentorship under M. S. Narasimhan connected generations of Indian researchers in geometric and algebraic fields.

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