Ashoke Sen is a preeminent theoretical physicist whose work has profoundly shaped modern understanding of string theory and quantum gravity over the past four decades. He currently holds the distinguished position of ICTS-Infosys Madhava Chair Professor at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences in Bangalore, having previously served as a Professor at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute from 1995 to 2021. Born in Kolkata in 1956, Sen completed his undergraduate education at Presidency College before earning his master's degree from IIT Kanpur and his doctorate from SUNY Stony Brook in 1982. His academic journey included post-doctoral research at Fermilab and SLAC, providing the foundation for his groundbreaking theoretical contributions. Sen has maintained a steadfast commitment to conducting world-class research within the Indian academic system throughout his distinguished career.
Professor Sen's most influential contribution is his landmark work on strong-weak coupling duality or S-duality, which fundamentally transformed research directions in string theory and connected previously distinct theoretical frameworks. His pioneering Sen conjecture concerning open string tachyon condensation on unstable D-branes established critical insights into string theory's non-perturbative structure and has become a cornerstone of modern theoretical physics. Sen's description of rolling tachyons significantly advanced string cosmology, while his entropy function formalism for extremal black holes provided revolutionary methods for precise counting of black hole microstates, addressing one of quantum gravity's most profound challenges. These breakthroughs demonstrated string theory's mathematical depth and physical relevance, influencing generations of physicists and catalyzing major developments across theoretical physics.
As a Fellow of the Royal Society and multiple national academies, Sen has shaped the global theoretical physics landscape through both his research and scientific leadership. His recognition with the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, Infosys Prize, and ICTP Prize confirms his standing as one of the preeminent theoretical physicists of his generation. Currently at ICTS Bangalore, Sen continues to advance string theory research while mentoring India's next generation of theoretical physicists in quantum gravity and superstring perturbation theory. His work remains highly influential in connecting diverse approaches to quantum field theory and gravity, with ongoing implications for fundamental physics understanding. Professor Sen's enduring commitment to maintaining world-class theoretical research within India has established him as an exemplar for scientists across the developing world pursuing scientific excellence in their home countries.
