India Wins Four Gold and One Silver at IOAA 2026
India delivered a strong performance at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026, winning four gold medals and one silver medal. The competition was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 25 September to 5 October 2026.
All five members of the Indian team won medals, placing India among the leading-performing countries at the international science competition.
International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) is an annual international competition for secondary school students in astronomy and astrophysics.
The competition tests students through theoretical, observational and data-analysis problems related to astronomy and astrophysics. It is among the major international science Olympiads that provide talented school students an opportunity to demonstrate advanced scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills.
Indian Medal Winners at IOAA 2026
All five members of India’s team secured medals:
| Student | City | Medal |
|---|---|---|
| Pranjal Dixit | Hyderabad | Gold |
| Sumant Gupta | Delhi | Gold |
| Akshat Srivastava | Gurugram | Gold |
| Arnav Sehrawat | Faridabad | Gold |
| Harshil Amitkumar Patel | Vadodara | Silver |
India’s final tally therefore stood at four gold medals and one silver medal.
Participation at the 19th IOAA
The 19th IOAA witnessed participation from 307 students representing 64 countries, making it the largest edition of the competition so far.
India finished jointly in third place in the medal tally along with Vietnam. Iran and South Korea topped the gold-medal count with five gold medals each.
The Indian team was accompanied by Prof. Bhaswati Mookerjea of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, and Prof. Sanved Kolekar of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.
Significance of India’s Performance
India’s performance at IOAA 2026 highlights the country’s growing strength in astronomy, astrophysics and science education. The achievement also reflects the importance of international Olympiads in identifying and nurturing young scientific talent.
Notably, in 2026, all 24 Indian participants across five senior-level science Olympiads won either gold or silver medals.
IOAA 2026: Important Facts for Exams
- Event: 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA)
- Year: 2026
- Venue: Hanoi, Vietnam
- Dates: 25 September–5 October 2026
- Participating students: 307
- Countries: 64
- India’s medals: 4 Gold + 1 Silver
- Indian team: 5 students, all of whom won medals
- India’s position: Joint third with Vietnam
- Top gold-medal winners: Iran and South Korea, with five gold medals each
- IOAA focus: Astronomy and astrophysics
- Competition level: Secondary school students
