Indian Students Make the Nation Proud
The medal-winning team members included:
- Rayansh Gupta, Sat Paul Mittal School, Ludhiana – Gold, Silver, and I-GYM 3rd Prize
- Charuvrat Bains, M.G.N. Public School, Kapurthala – 2 Silver, 1 Bronze
- Apam Nidhi Pandey, PM Shri K.V. No.1, Jaipur – 1 Silver
- Priyanshi Ghanghas, MD Indraprastha Sr. Sec. Public School, Delhi – 1 Bronze
The students were mentored by Prof. Devesh Walia and Prof. Hema Achyuthan, with Dr. Jagvir Singh, Scientist-G, as observer. Their dedicated guidance ensured that India’s contingent stood out on the international stage.
Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh, felicitated the winners in New Delhi. He praised the students for their determination and highlighted that many achievers now emerge from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, a trend powered by India’s thriving startup ecosystem.
Dr. Singh emphasized that the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) has unlocked new opportunities by removing rigid subject barriers. This shift, he said, is encouraging students to move towards cutting-edge fields such as Earth Sciences, Biotechnology, Space Technology, and start-up led self-employment.
Opportunities and Support for Young Talent
Calling upon students to make the most of government initiatives, Dr. Singh urged them to explore Vigyan Jyoti, scholarships, fellowships, and research grants available under various ministries. He stressed that such platforms could help them transform innovative ideas into solutions that benefit society.
Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, shared that the Ministry annually conducts the Indian National Earth Science Olympiad (INESO) across 300 centres to identify and train the best talent. From around 30 shortlisted candidates, four are chosen to represent India at IESO, and recent performances, he noted, have been highly encouraging.
Global Platform for Young Scientists
The International Earth Sciences Olympiad was first held in 2003 by the International Geoscience Education Organization (IGEO). It brings together secondary school students (Classes IX–XII) from across the world to test their knowledge and skills in Earth Sciences. India has been participating since 2007 and hosted the 10th edition in Mysore in 2013.
Congratulating the students once again, Dr. Singh reminded them to look beyond medals and apply their knowledge to real-life challenges. “Competitions are important milestones, but true success lies in using science for the greater good of society,” he said.