- Indian physicist Deepak Dhar received the 2026 Dirac Medal for work in statistical mechanics
- His research explained complex system behavior using the sandpile model concept
- The Dirac Medal honors major contributions to theoretical physics since 1985
Indian theoretical physicist Deepak Dhar has been awarded the 2026 Dirac Medal by the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) for his important work in statistical mechanics. Dhar is an INSA Distinguished Professor and is known for his research on statistical physics and stochastic processes. He is among four physicists selected for this year's award for their contributions to theoretical physics.
The other recipients are Bernard Derrida, Honorary Professor at the College de France; Marc Mezard, Professor of Theoretical Physics at Bocconi University; and Haim Sompolinsky, Professor of Neuroscience and Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Visiting Professor at Harvard University.
Why was Deepak Dhar honoured?
According to ICTP, Dhar's research has helped scientists understand how simple interactions between individual parts of a system can produce complicated behaviour when the system becomes large.
One of his best-known contributions is his work on the sandpile model. The idea is fairly simple. When grains of sand are added to a pile, most of them either do nothing or cause a small movement. But sometimes, adding just one more grain can lead to a much bigger collapse.
Dhar's work helped explain why such systems can naturally reach a state where even a small change can sometimes trigger a major event.
The same idea has been used to study different kinds of complex systems, including earthquakes, traffic jams and fluctuations in financial markets.
What is the Dirac Medal?
The ICTP Dirac Medal was first awarded in 1985 in memory of British physicist P.A.M. Dirac, one of the leading physicists of the 20th century.
The award recognises scientists who have made major contributions to theoretical physics. Previous recipients include renowned physicists such as Stephen Hawking.
About Deepak Dhar
Dhar completed his PhD from the California Institute of Technology and spent several years at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai. He joined the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune in 2016.
Since 2024, he has been an INSA Distinguished Professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences of TIFR.
Dhar has received several major honours for his work. These include the Padma Bhushan in 2023, the Boltzmann Medal in 2022, which he shared with John Hopfield, and the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize in 1991.