Grigori Perelman

Russian mathematician who proved Poincaré conjecture then rejected $1 million prize

Grigori Perelman (b.1966) shocked the math world by solving the Poincaré Conjecture in 2003 - a Millennium Prize Problem unsolved for a century. His proof using Ricci flow revolutionized:

• Geometric analysis
• Topology
• Theoretical physics applications

In 2010, he declined the Fields Medal and later rejected Clay Institute's $1 million prize, stating "I don't want to be a circus animal". The New Yorker detailed his rejection of academic fame.

Living reclusively in St. Petersburg, Perelman represents intellectual purity opposing modern academic commercialization. His work continues influencing quantum gravity research.