Behind China’s first Fields Medal wins, decades-long efforts in higher education and research

5 min readNew DelhiJul 26, 2026 07:00 AM IST Yu Deng (left) and Hong Wang (right) were two of the four Fields Medal recipients in 2026 (Credit: International Mathematical Union)Two Chinese mathematicians are among the four to have been awarded this year’s Fields Medal, making it one of the rare occasions when more than one person from the same country have featured on the list in any year. The Fields Medal is the highest prize in mathematics, considered equivalent to the Nobel, only tougher. It is awarded only once in four years, and only mathematicians below 40 years of age are eligible.This is the first time that any Chinese national has won the medal. There have been a couple of Chinese-origin mathematicians, including the widely-recognised Terrence Tao, who have won this in the past. W