Part 6/9:
Recognition and Refusal
Grisha's landmark achievement was initially met with skepticism as professional mathematicians meticulously reviewed his work for over three years. Despite this scrutiny, by 2006, it became widely accepted that he had solved the Poincaré Conjecture. However, when Grisha was offered the $1 million prize for his resolution—a prize he ultimately declined—he famously stated, “I know how to control the universe. So tell me, why should I run for a million?”
His reluctance to engage with the consequences of his success extended to further accolades as well. Grigori was awarded a Fields Medal—the highest honor one could achieve in mathematics—but he did not attend the ceremony, explaining to the media that he had little interest in public attention and self-promotion.