New Delhi: India delivered a strong performance at the 37th International Biology Olympiad 2026, with all four members of its team winning medals, including one gold and three silver, at the global competition held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from July 12 to 19.
Bhavyaa Gunwal from Mahendragarh, Haryana, won the gold medal. Soumil Maity from Howrah, West Bengal, Nishit Kalani from Pali, Rajasthan, and Anmol Kumar from Mansa, Punjab, secured silver medals, according to an official statement.
The Olympiad brought together 307 students from 78 countries. Organisers awarded 31 gold, 61 silver, and 91 bronze medals during the competition.
The Indian team was accompanied by Prof. Rekha Vartak, retired faculty member of HBCSE-TIFR, Mumbai, and Dr. Anupama Ronad of HBCSE-TIFR as team leaders.
Dr. Ranjithsinh Devkar of M. S. University, Baroda, and Dr. Siddhesh Ghag of the UM-DAE Centre of Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai, served as Scientific Observers.
The Olympiad included rigorous practical and theoretical examinations that tested participants’ knowledge, analytical and problem-solving skills across several branches of biology, including molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, ecology, plant sciences and animal physiology.
Congratulating the team, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it was a matter of immense happiness that all four Indian participants returned with medals.
In a post on X, he praised Gunwal, Maity, Kalani and Kumar for their achievement. He said their success reflected their strong understanding of molecular biology, biochemistry, animal physiology, animal morphology, systematics, and plant computational biology.
This marked India’s 26th appearance at the International Biology Olympiad. Since joining the competition, 104 Indian students have participated, winning 17 gold, 69 silver, 17 bronze medals, and one honourable mention.
The country’s consistent performance has continued over the last decade, with Indian participants maintaining strong success rates in global competitions.
