In a world buzzing with AI, apps, and algorithms, Eshan Chattopadhyay has carried forward India’s age-old mathematical spark into the future. An Indian-origin computer scientist and now an Associate Professor at Cornell University, Eshan has been awarded the 2025 Gödel Prize, one of the highest honors in theoretical computer science. This is a continuation of a streak that dates back from Aryabhata’s astronomical equations to Bhaskara’s brilliance. 

Eshan’s journey from his early education at IIT Kanpur to his Ph.D. under renowned computer scientist David Zuckerman has been all about diving deep into the mysteries of randomness, logic, and structure. And now, he’s cracked a puzzle that had left top scientists scratching their heads for nearly 30 years.

Cracking the Code of Chaos: Eshan’s Breakthrough in Randomness

Imagine trying to make perfect sense from two jumbled signals and succeeding. That’s what Eshan did. His work focused on creating a two-source extractor, a method of generating strong random numbers even when both sources of data are weak. Well, think about your data being protected online, encryption, security keys, compression—all of that depends on true randomness. 

Until Eshan’s breakthrough, most researchers believed that extracting reliable randomness from two poor-quality sources was near-impossible. But like ancient Indian mathematicians who dared to ask the impossible, like how Brahmagupta defined zero or how Srinivasa Ramanujan saw patterns in infinity, Eshan defied limits. 

The Gödel Prize: A Golden Stamp on Global Genius

Named after the legendary logician Kurt Gödel, the Gödel Prize is like the Nobel of theoretical computer science. Given jointly by ACM SIGACT and the European Association for Theoretical Computer Science, it celebrates work that forever changes the field. And Eshan? He’s now a part of that legendary list. 

From the invention of zero to Eshan’s game-changing theory, India’s relationship with math is as old as the Indus Valley script and just as mysterious and powerful. This award reminds the world that theoretical brilliance isn’t outdated; it’s what makes today’s technology truly secure and functional.

Eshan Chattopadhyay: Carrying Forward an Ancient Flame

Guided by his Ph.D. advisor David Zuckerman and inspired by the world’s mathematical mysteries, Eshan has contributed to conferences like FOCS, SODA, and STOC, all while teaching tough courses and mentoring young minds. He’s already a recipient of the Sloan Research Fellowship and NSF CAREER Award. 

As the world rushes forward, Eshan’s achievement is a reminder to every teen out there that brilliance isn’t about flashy apps or viral trends, it’s about understanding what lies beneath. And in that, Eshan is not just continuing the streak; he’s making it eternal.