Akshay Venkatesh is a well known and widely respected name in the world of mathematics. This year, he has been felicitated with the 'Fields Medal', also widely known as the Nobel Prize for Maths. 

While it's true that one is known for his success and accolades, we can't forget that behind every successful man, there is a tale of struggle that led him to this path.

© Twitter

Akshay's journey from a child prodigy to becoming a famous Mathematician began in New Delhi, where he was born. He moved to Perth, Australia with his family when he was just 2-years-old and was constantly winning all the Mathematics and Physics Olympiads, even when he was only 11. 

He managed to finish high school at the age of 13 and went on to become a graduate at the age of 16.  While we were busy idolising Ranbir Kapoor's character in 'Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani' when we were 20-years-old, Akshay had already earned his PhD!

© Twitter

He went on to do his postdoctoral research at the prestigious MIT, became a Clay Research Fellow and eventually became a professor at Stanford University.  

His contribution to the number theory, arithmetic geometry, topology, automorphic forms and ergodic theory is widely recognised.

Besides Akshay Venkatesh, Caucher Birkar, a professor of Cambridge University, Peter Scholze of University Of Bonn and Allesio Figalli, an Italian mathematician have also been awarded the 'Fields Medal'.

The 'Fields Medal' is awarded to mathematicians under the age of 40 and was inaugurated by John Charles Field, a Canadian mathematician who ran the Mathematics Congress back in 1924. The recipients receive an award of 15,000 Canadian dollars for the same.