July 12, 2026 - IndiaVerve

India bags five gold medals at International Physics Olympiad 2026

July 12, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: India has delivered an outstanding performance at the 56th International Physics Olympiad 2026 in Bucaramanga, Colombia, with all five members of its team winning gold medals.

The result helped India finish joint World No. 1 alongside China, Kazakhstan, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan.

The competition saw the participation of 381 students from 87 countries, according to an official statement.

The Indian gold medallists are Kanishk Jain from Pune, Maharashtra; Riddhesh Anant Bendale from Indore, Madhya Pradesh; Rishit Garg from Dwarka, New Delhi; Shresth Suraiya from Mumbai, Maharashtra; and Svarit Joshi from Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

The latest success extends India’s impressive record at the International Physics Olympiad, with every Indian participant over the past decade securing a podium finish.

The achievement reflects the strength of the country’s Olympiad programme, led by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), a National Centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

Backed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), HBCSE identifies, trains and mentors talented pre-university students through a rigorous multi-stage selection process, orientation camps and specialised training.

Congratulating the team, DAE Secretary and Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty said the achievement was a matter of immense pride for the nation.

He said winning five gold medals and sharing the World No. 1 ranking reflected the talent, dedication, and scientific temperament of the students, as well as the sustained efforts of the HBCSE-TIFR Olympiad programme.

Mohanty also congratulated the students, their parents, teachers, and mentors, saying the achievement would inspire more young minds to pursue excellence in science and further strengthen India’s leadership in scientific education and innovation.

The DAE also congratulated team leaders Prof. Anwesh Mazumdar of HBCSE-TIFR and Dr. Leena Joshi of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, as well as scientific observers Prof. Ananda Dasgupta of IISER Kolkata and Nisha Kelkar of Gogate-Joglekar College, Ratnagiri.

It also acknowledged the contribution of the HBCSE Physics Olympiad team and mentor pool.

HBCSE Director Prof. Arnab Bhattacharya said India’s consistent success in international science and mathematics Olympiads was the result of decades of patient mentoring and the Department of Atomic Energy’s continued support for nurturing young scientific talent.

The performance at IPhO 2026 once again highlights India’s growing strength in science education and its commitment to developing the next generation of scientists.

Argentina dump Switzerland out of FIFA World Cup

July 12, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

Switzerland’s dream run at the FIFA World Cup 2026 came to an end after suffering a 1-3 defeat to Argentina at Kansas City Stadium.

Argentina will now face fierce rivals England in the second semi-final at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday.

Argentina’s Alexis Mac Allister gave his side a 1-0 lead with a powerful header.

Switzerland responded in the second half through Dan Ndoye, who scored in the 67th minute.

The Swiss side were reduced to 10 men in the 72nd minute after the referee showed Breel Embolo a second yellow card for simulation.

The match went into extra time, where Julian Alvarez scored Argentina’s second goal in the 112th minute.

Lautaro Martínez sealed the victory with a goal in the 121st minute.

Earlier, England registered a 2-1 victory over Norway in another quarter-final match at Miami Stadium.

Andreas Schjelderup opened the scoring for Norway in the 36th minute, but Jude Bellingham equalised for England in the 47th minute.

The Three Lions came under sustained pressure before Bellingham struck again in the 93rd minute to seal the win and end the Nordic side’s memorable World Cup campaign.

Later, talking to reporters, Bellingham said: “Character, perseverance [got us through]; even when things weren’t working, we gave everything we got. I’m so proud of the team. It was a victory for everyone. The whole country wins – everyone behind us, the staff.”

Neeru Dhanda wins women’s trap gold at ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Italy

July 12, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Indian shooter Neeru Dhanda clinched the women’s trap gold medal at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup 2026 in Lonato, Italy, on Saturday, earning India its second shotgun World Cup medal of the season and its first gold.

Neeru topped the qualification round with 121 out of a possible 125 points to secure a place in the eight-shooter final, according to reports.

She carried that form into the final, comfortably progressing into the medal positions before facing former world champion Carole Cormenier of France in a closely fought contest for the title.

The two shooters were tied at 25 after the opening shots of the final stage. With only two targets remaining, Cormenier missed under pressure while Neeru held her nerve to clinch the gold medal.

Italy’s Erica Sessa secured the bronze medal, while Paris 2024 Olympic silver medallist Silvana Stanco, competing on home soil, was the first shooter to be eliminated in the medal round.

The victory marked Neeru’s maiden individual medal at an ISSF World Cup and the second World Cup medal of her career. Earlier this year, she teamed up with Vivaan Kumar to win bronze in mixed trap at the Almaty leg.

Another Indian shooter, Manisha Keer, narrowly missed a place in the final after finishing 10th in the qualification round.

India, however, had a disappointing outing in the men’s trap event, with none of its shooters reaching the final.

Aditya Birla Group to pump Rs 12,000 crore more into Odisha project

July 12, 2026July 12, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: Aditya Birla Group has proposed an additional investment of around Rs 12,000 crore to expand Hindalco Industries’ greenfield alumina refinery at Kansariguda in Odisha’s Rayagada district, taking the project’s total investment to about Rs 20,000 crore.

The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Aditya Birla Group Chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla, who reviewed the progress of the Group’s ongoing and proposed investments across the state and explored opportunities for further expansion.

The Kansariguda refinery was originally planned with a capacity of one million tonnes per annum at an estimated investment of Rs 8,000 crore.

With the proposed investment, the refinery’s capacity will be expanded by an additional two million tonnes per annum, taking the total capacity to three million tonnes per annum. The overall investment in the project will increase to around Rs 20,000 crore.

The state government said the expanded project is expected to generate substantial direct and indirect employment while creating new opportunities for local enterprises, service providers, and downstream industries.

Welcoming the proposal, Majhi said Odisha’s mineral wealth must translate into greater value addition, advanced manufacturing and quality employment within the State. He said aluminium is central to this vision.

The CM also said Odisha aims to become a leader not only in alumina and aluminium production but also in building a globally competitive ecosystem across the entire value chain, from refining and primary metals to downstream and advanced aluminium products.

He added that the Kansariguda expansion would further strengthen Odisha’s position as India’s leading metals and metallurgy hub.

Majhi assured the Aditya Birla Group of the state government’s continued support for the timely implementation and expansion of its projects. He said the Government would facilitate land, infrastructure, utilities, statutory approvals and other project requirements through a coordinated approach.

The meeting also reviewed the Group’s existing and proposed investments in aluminium, alumina, chemicals, cement, renewable energy, textiles and apparel.

The two sides also discussed potential investments in copper refining, copper-clad laminates and printed circuit boards, technical textiles, paints, jewellery manufacturing and advanced aluminium products.

Officials said the investment would further strengthen Odisha’s position as a preferred destination for metals, mineral processing and value-added manufacturing.

15 Indian tourists killed in Vietnam boat accident, PM Modi expresses grief

July 12, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

New Delhi: In a tragic accident, 15 Indian tourists, including two women and 13 men, lost their lives after their speedboat capsized near Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island.

The speedboat was carrying a total of 32 Indian tourists along with four crew members. Among the tourists, 10 were from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh, and two from Kerala.

According to e.vnexpress.net, the speedboat was transporting the tourists from Hon May Rut Islet to An Thoi Port, about 25km from picturesque Phu Quoc Airport. Nearby tourist boats that witnessed the tragedy immediately joined the rescue operation.

Rescuers brought all 36 people on board the speedboat to shore. Twenty-one people survived the accident.

Meanwhile, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng expressed deep sorrow over the incident and called for immediate measures to deal with the tragedy.

He directed local ministries, agencies, and authorities to provide all necessary assistance to the injured Indian tourists.

The PM also instructed the Ministry of Public Security to investigate the accident and determine its cause.

Separately, the Embassy of India in Vietnam and the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City said in a Facebook post that they were extending all possible assistance to the affected Indian nationals and their families.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident, according to an official statement.

In a post on X, he conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured survivors.

“Extremely saddened to learn about the tragic news of a boat accident involving Indian nationals near Phu Quoc, Vietnam. My sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. My prayers for the early recovery of the injured survivors. Our Embassy and Consulate are providing all possible assistance. Our officials are also in close contact with the Vietnamese authorities,” he said.

President Droupadi Murmu also expressed grief over the accident.

“Saddened by the news of a boat accident in Vietnam in which many Indian nationals lost their lives. My deep condolences to the grieving families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” she said in a post on X.