Subhash Khot is a theoretical computer scientist whose unexpected and original contributions are providing critical insight into unresolved problems in the field of computational complexity.
He is best known for his prescient definition of the “Unique Games” problem, and leading the effort to understand its complexity and its pivotal role in the study of efficient approximation of optimization problems; his work has led to breakthroughs in algorithmic design and approximation hardness, and to new exciting interactions between computational complexity, analysis and geometry.
He is a recipient of the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize by the International Mathematical Union, the Alan T. Waterman award by the US National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Fellowship, and the Simons Investigator Award.