Deepak Dhar wins 2026 Dirac Medal, shared with 3 others
Deepak Dhar, a leading Indian physicist, just picked up the 2026 Dirac Medal, one of the top honors in theoretical physics, from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics.
He shares this global recognition with three other physicists selected for this year's award for their contributions to theoretical physics.
Deepak Dhar's sandpile research and honors
Dhar's research on the sandpile model shows how tiny changes can trigger big effects: think earthquakes or sudden market shifts.
After earning his Ph.D. from Caltech, he worked at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and later joined the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune.
His impressive list of awards includes the Padma Bhushan and Boltzmann Medal.
Since 2024, he has also been an INSA Distinguished Professor at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research's International Centre for Theoretical Sciences.