India's School Students Return with Record Nine Medals from Earth Science Olympiad
Indian school students achieved their best-ever result at the International Earth Science Olympiad, winning nine medals in Turin.
Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh met and felicitated the Indian school students who competed in the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026. The interaction took place at Prithvi Bhawan in New Delhi, where the Minister congratulated the medal winners, their parents, and their schools for their achievement.
Team India recorded its best-ever performance in the history of the competition, which was held in Turin, Italy, from August 20 to 27, 2026. Competing against students from 39 countries, the Indian contingent secured a total of nine medals — four gold, three silver, and two bronze — across the Written and Practical examinations, the International Team Field Investigation, and the Earth Science Project categories.
Among the standout performers was Soumik Mandal of DAV Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal, who won two gold medals and one silver, finishing third in the overall global ranking. Other medalists included Aaron Maiti (DAV Model School, IIT-KGP), Riddhi Ranjan (Gyan Asthali International School, Patna), and Md Ehtesham Rizwi (JNV, Bihar).
Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), also commended the students and their mentors for achieving the country's highest-ever medal tally in the event's history.
The selection process for the Olympiad was supported by the Ministry under its Outreach and Awareness program. An all-India test, facilitated by the Geological Society of India, saw around 17,800 students appear across 500 centers. The top 25 students then attended a three-week training camp in June 2026 at M.S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat.
The Minister highlighted the role of such student-centric initiatives in building scientific temperament. He also noted that programs like the IESO, along with national missions such as the Deep Ocean Mission, Mission Mausam, and PRITHVI, are part of the Ministry's broader effort to inspire the next generation of geoscientists.