Indian students win 4 gold, 1 silver at International Astronomy Olympiad

India's five-member team has delivered a stellar performance at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026, winning four gold medals and one silver at the competition held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from September 25 to October 5.

Pranjal Dixit of Hyderabad, Sumant Gupta of Delhi, Akshat Srivastava of Gurugram and Arnav Sehrawat of Faridabad won gold medals, while Harshil Amitkumar Patel of Vadodara secured silver.

India finished joint third in the overall medal tally with hosts Vietnam, with four gold medals. Iran and South Korea topped the standings with five gold medals each.

The 2026 IOAA was the largest edition of the competition so far, with 307 students representing 64 countries. The Olympiad awarded 51 gold, 48 silver and 60 bronze medals.

A landmark year for India's science Olympiads

The astronomy team's performance capped an exceptional year for India's senior-level science Olympiad teams.

With the completion of the International Olympiads in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Astronomy, all 24 Indian students who represented the country across the five competitions won either a gold or silver medal.

The performance marks a significant milestone in India's record at international science competitions and underlines the depth of talent emerging among Indian students in mathematics and the sciences.

India maintains strong astronomy record

India has maintained a strong presence at international astronomy competitions since it first participated in the Astronomy Olympiad in 1999.

Data shared by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) shows that 49% of Indian participants have won gold medals over the years, while 35% have secured silver and 13% bronze medals.

The country's record has strengthened further in recent years. Over the last five years, every Indian participant at the Astronomy Olympiad has won either a gold or silver medal, with 64% securing gold and 36% silver.

HBCSE prepares India's Olympiad teams

The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) plays a central role in India's participation in international science Olympiads, including the selection and specialised training of students who represent the country.

For IOAA 2026, the Indian team underwent intensive preparation covering theoretical astronomy, astronomical observations and data analysis before competing against some of the world's strongest young astronomy students.

The four gold and one silver won in Hanoi add to an exceptional year for India's Olympiad teams. With all 24 participants across the five senior-level science competitions returning with gold or silver, 2026 stands out as a landmark year for India's performance on the international Olympiad stage.