International Astronomy Olympiad 2026: 5 Indian students win 4 gold, 1 silver; all 24 Olympiad participants bag gold or silver

International Astronomy Olympiad 2026: India has ended its 2026 international science Olympiad campaign on a high with all five members of its team winning medals at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Indian contingent won four gold medals and one silver medal at the competition, which was held from September 25 to October 5. With four gold medals, India finished joint third in the medal tally along with host country Vietnam, behind Iran and South Korea, which won five gold medals each. International Astronomy Olympiad 2026: Meet the Indian medal winners Four Indian students won gold medals at IOAA 2026, while one secured silver. Pranjal Dixit, Hyderabad, Telangana -- Gold Sumant Gupta, Delhi -- Gold Akshat Srivastava, Gurugram, Haryana -- Gold Arnav Sehrawat, Faridabad, Haryana -- Gold Harshil Amitkumar Patel, Vadodara, Gujarat -- Silver The five students represented India at the international competition, with Prof Bhaswati Mookerjea of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, and Prof Sanved Kolekar of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru, accompanying the team as leaders. India finishes with 100% medal haul The Indian team achieved a 100 per cent podium finish, with every member winning either a gold or silver medal. The 2026 edition of IOAA was the largest in the competition's history, with 307 students from 64 countries taking part. A total of 51 gold, 48 silver and 60 bronze medals were awarded. The competition tested students across three major components -- theory, observation and data analysis. Theory accounted for 50 per cent of the score, while observation and data analysis contributed 25 per cent each. A separate team competition involving students from different countries was also held during the Olympiad. India's 2026 science Olympiad run ends on historic note The astronomy result has an added significance for India. With IOAA 2026 concluding, all five senior-level international science Olympiads -- Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Astronomy -- for the year have been completed. For the first time since India's participation in international Olympiads began in 1989, every Indian student who competed across these five senior-level Olympiads won either a gold or silver medal in the same year. Across the five competitions, 24 Indian students participated. As many as 16 won gold medals and eight won silver medals, according to the Department of Atomic Energy. India's strong record in Astronomy Olympiads India has participated in Astronomy Olympiads since 1999. According to the Department of Atomic Energy, 49 per cent of Indian participants have won gold medals, while 35 per cent have secured silver and 13 per cent bronze medals since India's participation began. The country's recent record has been even stronger. Over the last five years, every Indian participant at the Astronomy Olympiad has won either gold or silver. What is the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics? The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) is an international academic competition that tests students' understanding of astronomy and astrophysics through theoretical and practical problem-solving. Unlike an examination based only on textbook knowledge, the competition requires participants to interpret astronomical observations and scientific data along with solving theoretical problems. The 2026 edition was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from September 25 to October 5 and brought together students from 64 countries.