Mathematics is reclaiming its significance in the global landscape, echoing the legacy of historical figures like Bernhard Riemann and Srinivasa Ramanujan, who shaped the fields of physics and computing. The current context, however, is markedly different. With a pressing need for upskilling in education and the rapid ascent of artificial intelligence (AI) from theoretical frameworks to industry applications, mathematics has once again taken center stage.
The renewed focus on mathematics is observable through significant investments from countries worldwide. The United States and China are not merely funding mathematical sciences as academic pursuits; they are treating them as strategic imperatives for technological advancement. In this vein, India has begun to follow suit with the establishment of the Lodha Mathematical Sciences Institute (LMSI) in Mumbai, which opened its doors in August 2025.
Distinct in its approach, LMSI has dispensed with traditional higher education characteristics such as degree programs, placement cells, and structured classrooms. Instead, it functions primarily as a research center, allowing mathematicians the freedom to explore complex problems without the immediate pressure of results.
Mathematics in the Age of Technology
The importance of mathematics in contemporary technology cannot be overstated. It serves as a fundamental element of AI, cryptography, and quantum computing. The mathematical structures that underpin these technologies were often developed with no immediate practical application in mind, yet they are now integral to innovations across multiple sectors.
Leading educational institutions, like Princeton University and various top-tier Chinese universities, are shifting their research paradigms in favor of uninterrupted inquiry. Programs are increasingly designed to minimize teaching loads and administrative duties, thereby allowing researchers to concentrate exclusively on advancing mathematical knowledge.
For decades, India’s mathematical research landscape was predominantly shaped by publicly funded entities such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) based in Chennai. While these institutions produced notable research, their scale was relatively limited. The new paradigm seeks to broaden this ecosystem through private funding, which is essential given that foundational research often requires substantial time investments that traditional academic structures may not accommodate.
The growing interest in mathematical research is also reflected in student enrollment trends. According to data from the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), there has been a steady increase in PhD enrolments in science disciplines over the past decade. Although mathematics constitutes a smaller fraction compared to engineering, the rising number of doctoral candidates points to an increasing appetite for research careers in the field.
Globally, similar trends are evident. In China, the number of doctoral graduates in mathematics and related fields has surged over the past 20 years, fueled by substantial state funding. The United States continues to serve as a hub for prominent mathematics research centers, such as the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, where research is conducted without the encumbrance of teaching obligations.
The rationale behind this global investment is tightly linked to the nature of technological progress. For instance, modern encryption, which secures digital communications, relies heavily on number theory. Machine learning is underpinned by linear algebra and optimization theory, while quantum computing depends on evolving mathematical frameworks. However, a pressing question looms: can research truly remain free from the pressures of demonstrable results?
Historically, many groundbreaking mathematical discoveries did not yield immediate applications. British mathematician G.H. Hardy famously deemed his work on number theory in the early 20th century as “useless,” only for those ideas to later prove essential to cryptography. Today, researchers warn that the landscape has changed; funding, whether from public or private sources, often comes with implicit expectations for results. Even when institutions vow to allow for creative freedom, there exists indirect pressure to deliver outcomes that justify financial investments.
India’s educational system has traditionally linked mathematics to engineering entrance examinations and technical careers, relegating research to a secondary position. This historical context has had ramifications: while India has evolved into a global center for software services, much of its growth has been predicated on applying existing knowledge rather than creating new theoretical frameworks.
The success of India’s renewed commitment to mathematics will ultimately hinge on patience, as mathematical research is inherently slow-moving, with its impacts often taking years to materialize. The current investments reflect a growing recognition that while technology evolves rapidly, its foundational elements are built on a slower, more deliberate timeline.
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