Artwork by Akshita Arora

From conversation on:
Nov 21, 2021

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String theory is considered as one of most complex theories put forth by our physicists. But what are these ‘strings’ that are being debated on so much? And is this really the theory that will unify everything, bring it all under same hood? Fundamental fields, such as string theory, offer a plethora of curiosities that seem to surpass our understanding of this universe, making it a an equally complex and intriguing subject. Discover our conversation with the Director of the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences - TIFR, Bengaluru, Prof. Rajesh Gopakumar, a world-renowned string theorist, whose work is majorly based on the intersections of quantum field theory and string theory. An expert in the field, his research has provided pivotal milestones in understanding the large N limits of gauge theories, topological string theory, and the gauge/geometry correspondences, to name a few areas. In our conversation with him, we dive into the immensity of fundamental cornerstones of theoretical physics, and in turn uncovering the stories and internal understanding of the field from his personal experiences. Our discussion forayed into the broad regimes that the intimidating constructs of string theory aim to address, as Prof. Gopakumar very artfully untangled the intermingling of awe-inspiring ideas from one of the major contenders for 'the theory of everything', which tapered to the discussions on the current state of the field, upcoming excitements, the life of a theoretical physicist and a brief portrayal in context of the Indian scientific scene at present.

Prof. Gopakumar did his bachelor’s studies at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and went on to pursue his doctoral work at Princeton University under Prof. David Gross. Thereafter, he pursued his postdoctoral fellowships at University of California Santa Barbara, and at Harvard University, before moving to India in 2001, as an Associate Professor at Harishchandra Research Institute in Allahabad, where he was working till 2015. Thereafter, he moved to the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences- TIFR at Bangalore, and assumed the role of the centre Director shortly after the joining. Prof. Gopakumar has had an exceptionally illustrious and inspirational journey over the years, with major milestones studded in his career that very few are able to command. His research interests primarily lie at the intersection of quantum field theory and string theory - which directly translate his unending curiosity for deciphering why string theory is a natural framework for describing a variety of phenomena, for instance, tracing the deepest fundamental roots of gravitation. This has included uncovering a new example of this correspondence (minimal model holography) and using it to understand the unbroken symmetries of string theory. His research works range across wide arenas of the field (and beyond), covering topological string theory, large N gauge theories, non-commutative field theory, and pure mathematics, to name a few, and are considered to be seminal contributions. Beyond his research works, he has also made momentous contributions to the development of scientific culture in India through his leadership, which have transformed the scenario at large and continue to push the ideas of science and pursuit of excellence further.