Indian Team Wins Five Golds at International Physics Olympiad

India won five gold medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2026 held in Bucaramanga, Colombia, from 5 to 12 July 2026. The Indian team finished joint World No. 1 with China, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan in a competition that included 381 students from 87 countries.

International Physics Olympiad

The International Physics Olympiad is an annual global competition for secondary school students in physics. It is one of the five International Science Olympiads and includes theoretical and experimental examinations.

India’s Medal Winners

The five Indian gold medallists were Kanishk Jain of Pune, Riddhesh Anant Bendale of Indore, Rishit Garg of Delhi, Shresth Suraiya of Mumbai, and Svarit Joshi of Ahmedabad in Gujarat. This was only the second time after 2018 that all five members of the Indian team won gold medals at the IPhO.

Indian Olympiad Training System

The Indian delegation was led by Prof. Anwesh Mazumdar of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and Prof. Leena Joshi of St Xavier’s College, Mumbai. The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, under the Department of Atomic Energy, manages India’s Olympiad programme and is responsible for student identification, training, and mentoring.

Important Facts for Exams

• The International Physics Olympiad began in 1967 and is held annually for school students.
• The 56th edition of the IPhO was held in Bucaramanga, Colombia, in 2026.
• India’s five gold medals placed it in a joint first position with five other teams.
• The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education is part of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.

Olympiad Structure

The IPhO usually includes one theoretical paper and one experimental paper. The competition tests advanced concepts in mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, optics, and modern physics.