PROMYS India

Program in Mathematics for Young Scientists

Dear Dr. Pithwa,

We are seeking mathematically talented students in Standards IX-XII as applicants to the Mehta Fellowships to PROMYS, a challenging summer program in mathematics. The Mehta Fellowships cover all costs of participation. PROMYS 2021 will run online from July 4 – August 14, 2021.

PROMYS is the parent program of PROMYS India whose launch has sadly been delayed by Covid-19. PROMYS has been running at Boston University in the U.S. since 1989. It will run as close to the in-person program as possible in 2021, with intense mathematical activity and social events to build community.

The 2021 Mehta Fellowship application is HERE on the PROMYS site (www.promys.org). The application deadline is March 30, 2021. Students should allow themselves plenty of time to work on the intriguing application problems. 

Successful PROMYS applicants need to show unusual enthusiasm for thinking deeply about mathematics. They do not need to have taken any advanced courses or participated in competitions. Lectures, problem sets, and mathematical discussions at PROMYS are all in English.

PROMYS is an intensive six-week program which draws talented secondary school students from across the U.S. and around the world. Each year, PROMYS creates a collaborative and supportive mathematical community of 85 pre-university students, 25 undergraduate counselors, faculty, research mentors and guest mathematicians. The focus is on developing the mathematical habits of mind that support independence and creativity in facing unfamiliar mathematical challenges. 

Approximately 50% of PROMYS alumni go on to earn doctorates. About half of these are PhDs in Mathematics.

Mathematical focus: First-year students focus primarily on a series of very challenging problem sets, a daily lecture, and exploration labs in Number Theory. Students receive daily feedback from their counselors on their Number Theory problem sets. There are also dozens of additional seminars, mini-courses, and guest lectures on a wide range of mathematical topics. Advanced seminars and mentored research are offered, and the program is individualized to ensure each student is fully challenged mathematically.

The Mehta Fellowship flyer is here. I hope you will share this information with mathematically talented students and with their teachers and schools. 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Ila Varma
Director of PROMYS India
 “PROMYS is all about thinking hard and having fun. Thinking and exploring really helped me grow intellectually.” Vruddhi Shah, 2020 Mehta Fellow

“The path of discovery that one follows as a student of PROMYS is unique and will change your perception of mathematics,” Siddharth Sridhar, 2017 and 2018 Mehta Fellow