Five students who just made India world number 1 in Physics
Five Indian students achieved a historic clean sweep of gold medals at the 56th International Physics Olympiad in Colombia, tying India for first place globally. The achievement is being lauded for the students' ability to solve complex, original theoretical and experimental physics problems.
Why it matters
It highlights India's growing prowess in STEM education and the distinction between rote-learning entrance exams and high-level scientific problem solving.
Ask an Indian teenager to name Virat Kohli, Neeraj Chopra or PV Sindhu, and the answer comes instantly. But ask the same student about Kanishk Jain, Riddhesh Anant Bendale, Rishit Garg, Shresth Suraiya or Svarit Joshi, and chances are you'll be met with silence.Yet these five students have achieved something that deserves to be celebrated across the country.Representing India at the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2026 in Bucaramanga, Colombia, all five returned home with gold medals, helping India finish joint World No. 1 alongside science powerhouses such as China, Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Taiwan.
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