Lodha Foundation unveils privately funded Mathematical Sciences Institute in Mumbai
Called 'the first ever privately funded mathematics research institute in the country, LMSI is backed by Lodha Foundation, which received about Rs 20,000 crore endowment from the Lodha family last year.'
'It's very important for us as a company to make sure that our success contributes in a wholesome manner to India's development. In that context, the family decided last year to donate about one-fifth of the ownership of the company to the Lodha Foundation,' said Abhishek Lodha, CEO and MD of Lodha Developers.
'We have realised that for any nation to become strong, we ought to have original thinking and promote innovation. This is what the Lodha Institute of Mathematical Sciences is focused on. We are undoubtedly committed to making sure that in the long term, this becomes one of the leading institutions in the world,' he said.
The LMSI will encourage intellectual inquiry and mathematical research, both in its fundamental aspects as well as in its applications. The institute aims to be a global leader in mathematical research, both in its fundamental aspects as well as in its applications.
'The institute will serve as a beacon of mathematical excellence, attracting the best minds from around the world and fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity and discovery,' the Foundation said.
Ashish Kumar Singh, chief mentor at Lodha Foundation said, 'The foundation of almost all technological progress today is mathematical, whether it be cryptography, cybersecurity, warfare, and definitely artificial intelligence.'
'We are aiming to get the brightest researchers to come together and pursue research in cutting-edge frontier mathematics so that the frontiers of mathematics are pushed and new knowledge is created,' he said.
The LMSI will be headed by V. Kumar Murty, a mathematician, known for his contributions to number theory and arithmetic geometry.
A Ph.D. from Harvard University, Dr. Murty has served as the Director of the Fields Institute and as a professor at the University of Toronto.
With several international accolades to his credit, Dr Murty's research spans various areas, including analytic number theory, algebraic number theory, information security, and arithmetic algebraic geometry, the Foundation said.
'We know that in the vast history of India, there have been many great mathematicians who contributed fundamental ideas that have shaped the world that we live in today,' said Dr Murty.
'To be a part of that tradition and to take it forward to the next level, invoking not only the expertise within India, but even that which is available around the world, is truly critical and inspiring. The LMSI aims to address fundamental problems that will help India becoming a developed nation and a global leader by 2047,' he added.
The LMSI is backed by a scientific advisory panel of leading researchers, who will oversee the scientific programs of the Institute and help to align them with the main international trends.
This includes Dr Manjul Bhargava (Princeton University), Dr Vikraman Balaji (Chennai Mathematical Institute), Dr Sourav Chatterjee (Stanford University), Dr Ravi Vakil (Stanford University and President-Elect of AMS), Dr Yakov Eliashberg (Stanford University), Dr Alexander Lubotzky (Weizmann Institute of Science), Dr Kavita Ramanan (Brown University), Dr François Labourie (Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis), Dr Siddhartha Mishra (ETH Zurich), Dr Mahan Mj (TIFR), Dr Ngô Bảo Châu (University of Chicago), Dr Parimala Raman (Emory University).
'The Institute recognises that it can contribute significantly to solving complex challenges in areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and economics. These challenges that can be addressed through advanced mathematical approaches, including data science, machine learning, operations research, and optimization,' the Foundation said.
'As an institute rooted in India and focused on both fundamental research and applications, it can make meaningful contributions, both in the short term as well as the long term, nationally and globally. To realise this vision, the Lodha Mathematical Sciences Institute will empower faculty with the freedom to pursue their research interests without administrative constraints,' it added.
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