Love for Maths is not gender-specific, says winner of Ramanujan Prize – Times of India

At 37, Neena is the third woman ever and second Indian woman to receive this honour. She is also the fourth Indian Mathematician to be bestowed with this title since its inception in 2005.

Not an easy journey


“As a Marwari, born and brought up in Kolkata, my family and I often broke cultural protocols to pursue a career in Maths,” she says.

During her BSc (Maths) days at Bethune College, Kolkata University, an all-girls’ college, Gupta understood her love for the subject. It was while pursuing her M (Maths) from ISI that she understood the all-encompassing nature of the subject.

“I got 91% in BSc, which I later discovered earned me the distinction of being the topper. Professors and peers guided me towards appearing for the ISI entrance test for a Masters’ course,” she says.

The course structure for the entrance test threw Gupta off. “Looking back, I can say that there were hardly any girls who were vying for the same course, but at the time, it did not bother me,” she says.

Initial days


Focused on her goal to excel, Neena was the only girl in her postgraduation batch of seven. “Many factors make the journey from between taking admission and passing out of ISI interesting. This also involves the inability to cope with course requirements. ISI also has a policy wherein if a student fails in the first year, he/she will be given one opportunity to redeem through a back paper. If the student fails in this as well, he/she will be asked to leave. Thus, the pressure to excel is high,” she tells.

“Apart from the cultural issue of being the only girl in my batch, I took a while in catching up to the course requirements at ISI, but I was finally able to understand how beautiful and vast the subject is,” adds Neena, who is an expert in Commutative Algebra.

Pursuing a PhD was a natural next step, but the required time frame troubled her family, she says. “I earned my PhD in Maths in three and a half years at the age of 27,” she tells.

Girls and Maths


Social perception is the main culprit behind the lesser number of girls pursuing higher education in Mathematics. “This issue has been prevalent worldwide, wherein Maths is considered a male-dominated subject and girls are dissuaded or ridiculed for trying to pursue expertise in Maths. Thankfully, now the situation is better,” she says.

Gupta does not believe that girls have a complicated relationship with Maths. “Complete dedication is a prerequisite to becoming a subject-expert in Maths. Multiple responsibilities may divert the attention of girls, but those who solve and explore Mathematical problems with single-minded focus surpass such issues. I got married at the age of 30, but family support made all the difference,” she says.

While the ratio of girls to boys has improved slightly in the M (Maths) course at ISI, the 2021 batch currently does not have any girl. At the same time, Gupta is mentoring two PhD students, both of whom are girls and Gupta is all praise for their hard work and dedication.