India won nine medals at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026, held in Turin, Italy, from August 20 to 27, 2026. The four-member Indian student team won four gold, three silver, and two bronze medals, which marked the country’s best-ever performance in the competition.
International Earth Science Olympiad
The International Earth Science Olympiad is an annual international competition for secondary school students in Earth science subjects. It includes written examinations, practical assessments, field investigations, and project-based tasks in geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy.
Indian Team and Selection Process
The Indian contingent comprised Soumik Mandal, Aaron Maiti, Riddhi Ranjan, and Mohammed Ehtesham Rizvi. The students were selected from about 17,000 national applicants and trained through camps at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and Anna University, Chennai.
Soumik Mandal won gold in the individual written and practical examinations and recorded the third-highest individual score in the 19-year history of the IESO. Ranjan and Mandal won gold in the International Team Field Investigation, while Maiti won gold in the Earth Science Project.
Felicitation and Earth Science Outreach
Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, felicitated the medal-winning students at Prithvi Bhawan in New Delhi on September 4, 2026. He also administered an oath for ocean conservation and reviewed preparations for the fifth edition of the Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar campaign, scheduled for September 12 to 19, 2026.
Important Facts for Exams
- The International Earth Science Olympiad is commonly abbreviated as IESO.
- Turin is a city in Italy and has hosted international academic and sporting events.
- Earth science covers geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy in school-level Olympiad formats.
- Prithvi Bhawan is associated with the Ministry of Earth Sciences in New Delhi.
Olympiad Format and Subject Areas
IESO events usually test both individual and team performance through theory, practical work, and field-based problem solving. The competition is linked to Earth system studies, which include the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
