New Delhi : Deepak Dhar, an IINSA distinguished professor and one of India’s most respected theoretical physicists, has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP). The award, instituted in 1985, has over the decades been associated with some of the biggest names, including Stephen Hawkings, in theoretical physics. Dhar is one of four physicists selected this year in recognition of their significant contributions to statistical mechanics.
The field is not limited to theoretical research. Scientists say it provides tools that are increasingly useful in understanding artificial intelligence, complex networks, and even financial markets. Dhar has long been associated with the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru, and has spent decades working on problems related to complex physical systems. Born in 1951 in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Dhar grew up in a Hindi-medium environment. His mother hoped he would become an IAS officer, but his father encouraged a different kind of curiosity.
Dhar studied at Allahabad University before moving to IIT Kanpur for his MSc. He later went to the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in the United States, where he received a Richard Feynman fellowship. At Caltech, he worked closely with the legendary physicist Richard Feynman and served as his teaching assistant. Dhar completed his PhD in 1978. Such a path would naturally lead to a career in the United States. Dhar, however, chose to return to India.
Dhar joined the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai. He also served as a professor at IISER Pune for almost 8 years, says his LinkedIn profile, contributing to the development in the field of Physics and taught hundreds of students. Among his best-known achievements is Dhar’s burning algorithm, developed in connection with sandpile models, which has become an influential concept in the study of self-organised criticality and complex systems.
In 2022, he became the first Indian to receive the Boltzmann Medal, widely regarded as the highest honour in statistical physics. In 2023, the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour. The ICTP Dirac Medal is a prestigious annual award given by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in honour of physicist Paul Dirac. Started in 1985, it recognises outstanding work in theoretical physics and mathematics.
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