Jainendra K Jain Receives Wolf Prize in Physics

Exam-focused facts from the 21 June 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

Indian-origin theoretical physicist Jainendra K Jain received the Wolf Prize in Physics for his discovery of composite fermions, which provided an explanation for the fractional quantum Hall effect.
The award was presented by Israeli President Isaac Herzog at a state ceremony held in the Knesset in Jerusalem.
Jainendra K Jain, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, is the first person of Indian origin to receive the Wolf Prize in Physics.
Professor Venkatesan Sundaresan was also honoured with the Wolf Prize in Agriculture for his discoveries in plant genetics and crop improvement.
Other Indian-origin laureates of the Wolf Prize mentioned include Dr Gurdev Singh Khush for Agriculture and conductor Zubin Mehta for Music.