India has delivered another outstanding performance at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026, with all four members of its team winning gold medals. The country also secured joint Rank 1 alongside China, Vietnam and the Individual Participant (Russia)*, marking India’s best-ever performance at the prestigious global competition.
The International Chemistry Olympiad 2026 was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 10 to 19. A total of 363 students from 93 countries participated in the competition, making it one of the largest editions of the Olympiad.
According to the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), which coordinates India’s participation in international science Olympiads, this is India’s 27th participation in the IChO and its best performance so far.
The four Indian students who won gold medals are:
- Debadatta Priyadarshi from Bhubaneswar, Odisha
- Harshit Singhal from Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab
- Kabeer Chhillar from Delhi
- Sandeep Kuchi from Hyderabad, Telangana
The Indian team was led by Head Mentor Prof. Subhajit Bandyopadhyay of IISER Kolkata and Mentor Dr. Indrani Das Sen of HBCSE. The team was also supported by Scientific Observers Dr. Anubendu Adhikary from IIT Kharagpur and Dr. Jayasree Gopalakrishnan from NES Ratnam College, Mumbai.
In a post shared on its official social media handle, HBCSE congratulated the students and mentors on the remarkable achievement. The institute also thanked the National Steering Committee on Science Olympiads, teachers, mentors and members of the Chemistry Olympiad Cell for supporting the students throughout their preparation. It also acknowledged the support received from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Education (MoE).
India’s strong performance at the International Chemistry Olympiad adds to the country’s growing success in global science competitions and highlights the talent of young Indian students on the international stage.
