3 min readNew DelhiJul 19, 2026 03:15 PM IST
India continued its strong run at international science Olympiads with four medals at the 37th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2026. The Indian contingent won one gold and three silver medals at the competition held in Vilnius, Lithuania, with every member of the team returning with a medal.
In a statement, the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), said all four Indian students secured medals at the Olympiad. The competition brought together 307 students from 78 countries and tested participants through six-hour practical laboratory examinations and six-hour theory examinations focused on biological sciences.
Bhavyaa Gunwal from Mahendragarh, Haryana, won the gold medal for India. The three silver medal winners were Soumil Maity from Howrah, West Bengal; Nishit Kalani from Pali, Rajasthan; and Anmol Kumar from Mansa, Punjab.
According to HBCSE, the practical component of the Olympiad covered Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Animal Physiology, Animal Morphology and Systematics, and Plant Computational Biology. The theoretical examination focused on research-based biological concepts. A total of 31 gold, 61 silver and 91 bronze medals were awarded during this year’s Olympiad.
The Indian team was led by Dr. Anupama Ronad of HBCSE-TIFR and Dr. Rekha Vartak, formerly with HBCSE-TIFR. The delegation also included observers Dr. Ranjitsingh Devkar of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and Dr. Siddhesh Ghag of UM-DAE Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences. HBCSE also acknowledged the contribution of members of its Biology Cell, the Association of Teachers in Biological Sciences (ATBS), the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), and resource persons involved in selecting and training the team. The national Olympiad programme is supported by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Education.
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The Biology Olympiad result comes days after India recorded a clean sweep at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2026 in Bucaramanga, Colombia. All five Indian participants won gold medals, helping the country secure the joint World No. 1 position. The team competed against 381 students from 87 countries, making it one of India’s best performances in the history of the Physics Olympiad.
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Also Read | India bags four gold medals at International Chemistry Olympiad 2026
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