India Wins 9 Medals at IESO 2026
Dr. Jitendra Singh felicitates Team India school students after their best-ever performance at the International Earth Science Olympiad
- India wins 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 2 Bronze medals
- Team India competes against students from 39 countries
- Soumik Mandal ranks third globally among participants
- 17,800 students participated in the national selection test
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th Sept: Union Minister for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh felicitated and interacted with the Team India school student delegates who delivered India’s best-ever performance at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026.
At a special appreciation and motivation meeting at Prithvi Bhawan, New Delhi, Dr. Jitendra Singh congratulated the students, their parents and schools for their achievement. He highlighted the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ efforts to promote scientific curiosity and strengthen learning in Earth System Science among young students.
The IESO 2026 was held in Turin, Italy, from August 20 to 27 under the aegis of the International Geoscience Organisation. Competing against participants from 39 countries, the Indian contingent won nine medals—four Gold, three Silver and two Bronze—in Written and Practical examinations, International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and Earth Science Project (ESP) categories.
Soumik Mandal of DAV Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal, won two Gold and one Silver medal and secured third position in the overall global ranking. Aaron Maiti of DAV Model School, IIT-KGP, West Bengal, won one Gold and one Bronze, while Riddhi Ranjan of Gyan Asthali International School, Patna, Bihar, secured one Gold and one Silver. Md Ehtesham Rizwi of JNV, Bihar, won one Silver and one Bronze.
Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, also congratulated the students and mentors for achieving India’s highest-ever medal tally at the competition.
The participation followed a structured national selection and training programme supported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences under its Outreach and Awareness programme. An all-India test facilitated by the Geological Society of India saw around 17,800 students appear across 500 centres. The top 25 students then underwent a three-week training camp in June 2026 at M.S. University, Vadodara, Gujarat.
The Ministry said initiatives such as IESO, along with the Deep Ocean Mission, Mission Mausam and PRITHVI, continue to promote scientific awareness and encourage young people to pursue Earth sciences and research.
