All five Indian teenagers who competed at the International Physics Olympiad 2026 won gold medals; thanks to their achievement, India shared the world No 1 ranking with China, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea and Taiwan. But…
IMAGE: Five Indian students — Kanishk Jain from Pune, Riddhesh Anant Bendale (Indore), Rishit Garg (Delhi), Shresth Suraiya (Mumbai) and Svarit Joshi (Ahmedabad) earned gold medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad, held in Bucaramanga, Colombia between July 5 to 12, 2026. Photograph: Kind courtesy HBCSE/X
Five bright teenagers from India competed against some of the world’s brightest school students to win five gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad 2026 — a performance that earned India the world No 1 ranking alongside China, Kazhakhstan, Russia, South Korea and Taiwan.
The Indian contingent — comprising Kanishk Jain from Pune, Riddhesh Anant Bendale (Indore), Rishit Garg (Delhi), Shresth Suraiya (Mumbai) and Svarit Joshi (Ahmedabad) — earned gold medals at the recently concluded 56th International Physics Olympiad, held in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
Congratulating the students on their stellar performance, the department of atomic energy (DAE) — which supports the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), the nodal agency that selects and trains India’s teams for international science Olympiads — applauded not just the medal winners but also the mentors and institutions behind the achievement.
‘DAE extends its heartfelt congratulations to the winners, the team leaders, the scientific observers, and the Physics Olympiad Cell and mentor pool at HBCSE for their unwavering dedication and acknowledges the continued support of the department of science and technology and the ministry of education,’ the DAE said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
‘This outstanding success reflects the strength of India’s Olympiad programme, led by the @HBCSE_TIFR, a National Centre of the @TIFRScience, an aided institution DAE. #HBCSE mentors exceptional young talent in science & mathematics, while furthering India’s Olympiad programme,’ DAE added in its congratulatory post.
The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education called the victory a ‘golden sweep for India’, adding ‘this is India’s 27th appearance at IPhO — and the legacy keeps growing. In the last 10 years, EVERY Indian student has come home with Gold or Silver,’ HBSCSE shared on X (formerly Twitter).
According to The Times of India, the Indian delegation was led by Professor Anwesh Mazumdar of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai, and Professor Leena Joshi of St Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
The team was accompanied by Professor Ananda Dasgupta of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata, and Nisha Kelkar of Gogate-Joglekar College, Ratnagiri, who served as scientific observers.
All five students underwent intensive training at HBCSE through orientation and pre-departure camps before travelling to Colombia.
This year, as many as 381 students from 87 countries had competed in the international Olympiad which tests participants in theoretical and experimental physics examinations. Overall, 51 students were awarded gold, 80 silver and 97 bronze medals.
Malay Krishna, who is the director of product management at Vyapar, a business accounting and inventory software platform, could not hide his joy at this stupendous achievement.
‘We know a hundred cricketers by their nickname and not one of these boys. :)’
‘That clean sweep put India at joint World Number One. Tied with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Lending context to their achievement, he added, ‘Those are countries that pour serious money and national pride into science education. We are standing level with them,’ he posted on X.
He also highlighted India’s success at the Olympiad, in which it has been participating for 27 years.
‘Across all those years, about 44 percent of Indian students have won gold, 41 per cent silver, 10 per cent bronze.
‘In the last 10 years, every single Indian student has come home with a medal. 62 per cent gold, 38 per cent silver.’
But he also highlighted a sad fact.
‘Only about 32 percent of medallists end up settling in India.
‘I do not say that to spoil the moment. These kids owe the country nothing. They earned every option they have.
‘But it should tell us something. We are excellent at finding this talent. We are excellent at training it. We are still not great at giving it somewhere worth staying.’
What is the International Physics Olympiad?
The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is the world’s premier physics competition for high school students, held annually since 1967.
Each participating country can send a team of up to five students, who compete in demanding five-hour theoretical and experimental examinations.
The contest attracts some of the brightest young physicists from over 80 countries and tests advanced problem-solving, analytical thinking and laboratory skills.
India’s team was selected through a rigorous national process conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and undergoes intensive training before the international event.
