International Astronomy Olympiad 2026: India Wins Four Gold and One Silver at IOAA in Hanoi

India won four gold medals and one silver medal at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026, and all five members of the Indian team returned with medals. The competition was held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from 25 September to 5 October 2026. As of 7 October 2026 it is a completed event. The source report we relied on was published on 6 October 2026, a day after the competition ended.

IOAA 2026 at a glance

Who won medals for India

The Indian team was accompanied by Prof Bhaswati Mookerjea of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, and Prof Sanved Kolekar of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.

What the IOAA is

The IOAA is an annual international competition in astronomy and astrophysics for secondary-school students. Participants work on theoretical, observational and data-analysis problems. The report describes it as one of the senior science Olympiads.

Why this result matters

Scale of the 2026 edition

The report says 307 students from 64 countries took part, making this the largest IOAA so far. India's full-medal result therefore came in a bigger field than at any earlier edition of the event.

Position in the medal tally

India finished jointly third with Vietnam in the medal tally. Iran and South Korea each won five gold medals. The supplied evidence does not give the full country-wise table, so the exact medal counts behind the third-place finish cannot be checked here.

Wider Olympiad performance in 2026

The report adds that India's 2026 senior-level science Olympiad campaign covered Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Astronomy. Across these five Olympiads there were 24 Indian participants, and every one of them won a gold or silver medal.

Exam-relevant points to remember

Questions in competitive exams are not predictable, and nothing here suggests that any particular question will be asked. The facts below are the ones most useful for general awareness revision under Science and Technology or Awards and Achievements:

• Edition: 19th IOAA, 2026.
• Place and dates: Hanoi, Vietnam; 25 September to 5 October 2026.
• India's haul: four gold and one silver.
• Participation: 307 students from 64 countries, reported as the largest edition so far.
• Medal tally: India jointly third with Vietnam; Iran and South Korea won five gold medals each.
• Combined 2026 senior science Olympiads: 24 Indian participants, all with gold or silver.

Evidence limits

This note rests on a single secondary report (GKToday, dated 6 October 2026). A Press Information Bureau page was also supplied, but it showed no release text, so it could not confirm any detail. The IOAA organisers' results, the official medal table and the names of other medallists were not part of the evidence. Readers who need these for formal citation should check the official IOAA or Government of India announcements.

FAQ

When was IOAA 2026 held?

From 25 September to 5 October 2026 in Hanoi, Vietnam. As of 7 October 2026 it has concluded.

How many medals did India win?

Five: four gold and one silver. All five members of the Indian team won a medal.

Which Indian students won gold?

Pranjal Dixit, Sumant Gupta, Akshat Srivastava and Arnav Sehrawat. Harshil Amitkumar Patel won the silver.