Not many of you must have heard about the Abel Prize. But you will be surprised to know that it is an extremely prestigious honor and often also described as the “mathematician’s Nobel prize”. Remember that the Nobel Prize is not awarded in the field of mathematics.

The Abel Prize was established in 2001 by the Government of Norway and is presented by the King of Norway to one or more outstanding mathematicians. It is Named after Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel(1802–1829). The prize money is 6 million Norwegian kroner (NOK) which is approximately US$1 million.

This year, the winner of the award is 69 year old  Belgian mathematician Pierre Deligne. Professor Deligne has formulated a number of mathematical concepts. He has done remarkable work related to algebraic geometry and number theory.

His Majesty King Harald V of Norway will present Professor Pierre Deligne the award at an award ceremony in Oslo on May 21,2013.