India Shines with Gold at International Chemistry Olympiad 2026
Mumbai, 19th July 2026 – India showcased its scientific prowess at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 10 to 19, where all four Indian participants earned gold medals. This year marks a historic achievement for India, as it is the first time that all team members clinched gold in this prestigious competition.
The Indian gold medalists include:
- Debadatta Priyadarshi from Bhubaneshwar, Odisha
- Harshit Singla from Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab
- Kabeer Chillar from Delhi
- Sandeep Kuchi from Hyderabad, Telangana
The Indian delegation was aided by a strong mentoring team, comprising Prof. Subhajit Bandyopadhyay as Head Mentor, along with Dr. Indrani Sen from HBCSE, Mumbai, Dr. Anubendu Adhikary from IIT Kharagpur, and Dr. Jayasree Gopalakrishnan from NES Ratnam College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mumbai, who served as Scientific Observers.
A Historic Victory
In the country-wise medal tally, India stood out in first place, sharing honors with China, Vietnam, and a group of individual participants from Russia. This edition of the IChO attracted 363 eager students from 93 countries, making it the largest IChO to date. The Indian team’s outstanding performance marks its best overall result at the IChO, highlighted by the unprecedented achievement of an all-gold haul.
Challenges and Assessments
The IChO competition included both theoretical and experimental segments, testing students on a wide array of chemistry topics. The theoretical exam featured nine complex problems, challenging participants to identify the compositions of various chemical solutions and explore advanced concepts like reaction kinetics and nitrogen fixation.
The experimental component consisted of three practical challenges. This included synthesizing a metal complex, analyzing biochemical mixtures using enzyme tests, and performing pH-metric titrations to identify acid mixtures.
Appreciation and Support
The success of the Indian team is a testament to rigorous preparation. The Chemistry Olympiad cell of HBCSE and a dedicated group of external teachers and mentors deserve commendation for their effective orientations and pre-departure training camps. Over its 27 years of participation in the IChO, India has achieved remarkable success, with 32% of its students earning gold medals, 51% silver, and 17% bronze. In recent appearances, the medals earned saw a significant increase, with gold at 43% and silver at 53% in the last ten contests.
Gratitude is also extended to the National Steering Committee on Science Olympiads, educational organizations, and funding agencies such as DAE, DST, and MoE, whose steadfast support of the Olympiad program allows Indian talent to shine on the global stage.
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