Team India shines at Astronomy and Astrophysics meet held in Mumbai

Mumbai: India has achieved a momentous feat at the 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2025) in Mumbai clinching an impressive total of five medals --- four Gold and one Silver - reaffirming India’s standing as a global leader in science education and Olympiad excellence.

The Indian contingent, trained under the aegis of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), a national centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), delivered an outstanding performance during the meet held during August 15 to 21, 2025.

The Gold medalists are Arush Mishra, Akshay Shrivastav, Banibrata Majee and Panini, while the Silver medallist is Suman Gupta.

The Olympiad, hosted for the first time in India, witnessed the participation of nearly 300 high-school students from 64 countries, including 12 nations competing for the first time. This edition of IOAA is the largest to date, marking a significant milestone in international scientific collaboration and youth engagement.

The closing ceremony of IOAA 2025 was held at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai in the august presence of eminent dignitaries, including Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chancellor, Homi Bhabha National Institute; Prof. Dipankar Banerjee, Director, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST); and Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Congratulating the participants, Dr. Kakodkar, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission and ex Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, praised their pursuit of scientific excellence and their spirit of international cooperation. He highlighted India's growing investments in observational and gravitational astronomy and urged students to continue exploring the frontiers of science with curiosity and commitment.