Union Minister felicitated International Earth Science Olympiad 2026 winners, India bags 9 medals

Union Minister Jitendra Singh honored the winners of the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026 on Friday. IESO took place from August 20 to August 27 in Italy, with 39 countries taking part. Indian students came away with nine medals, comprising four golds, three silvers, and two bronzes. The Union Minister emphasized the government's dedication to nurturing young talent through student-focused initiatives and a solid foundation in science during the event.

He explained that the students underwent a thorough national selection and training process before joining the Olympiad. Nearly 17,800 students from 500 centers across India participated in the all-India test, and the best 25 performers were chosen for a three-week training camp in June 2026 at Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara, Gujarat.

Indian students have been dominating recent international Olympiads. In July, five Indian students won gold at the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in Colombia, and four gold medals were earned at the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Uzbekistan earlier this year.