Delhi Class 12 student wins IOAA gold while preparing for JEE

Sumant Gupta, a Class 12 student from Delhi, has won a gold medal for India at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026, held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from Sep 25 to Oct 5. He competed alongside 307 students from 64 countries as part of India’s five-member team.

Gupta’s gold medal marks an improvement on the silver he won at the 2025 edition of the international competition. While continuing his school studies and preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), he spent several years building his knowledge of astronomy through science Olympiads and independent study.

From silver to gold

Gupta said his experience at the 2025 Olympiad helped him identify mistakes and improve how he approached the examination. Rather than simply increasing his study hours, he focused on managing time more effectively and attempting familiar questions before moving to more difficult ones.

The competition still presented challenges. During the telescope round, he was unable to locate the correct target, and he found this year’s questions tougher.

He said the experience taught him that setbacks during a competition should not determine how a participant approaches the remaining opportunities.

He credited his preparation over several years, his previous international experience and the support of his parents and teachers for helping him secure the gold medal.

Astronomy preparation alongside school and JEE

Gupta began preparing for science and astronomy Olympiads around Class 9. He generally devoted four to five hours a day to self-study, depending on his schoolwork and other commitments, without following a rigid daily timetable.

He would first try to solve problems independently and look for explanations online when he needed help. This year, he also received structured preparation through PhysicsWallah’s PW Vidyapeeth programme.

Balancing school academics, JEE preparation and Olympiad training was sometimes difficult, he said. Support from teachers helped him manage the competing demands, while his parents helped ensure that financial challenges did not become an obstacle to his preparation.

Gupta traced part of his interest in astronomy to Christopher Nolan’s science-fiction film Interstellar. The film made him curious about space, time and the universe and encouraged him to explore the subject further.

Among the areas he studied, cosmology was one of his favourites, while stellar astrophysics required more effort. The Olympiad also gave him an opportunity to meet students from different countries and learn about their approaches to astronomy.

Outside academics, Gupta enjoys chess, speedcubing and occasional table tennis. He also makes time for friends, which he considers important while balancing school, board examinations, JEE and Olympiad preparation.

Exploring other career options

Despite his achievement in astronomy and astrophysics, Gupta has not yet decided on a career. He is considering studying physics and possibly pursuing research but wants to explore different fields before choosing a specialisation.

For students interested in science Olympiads, his advice is to begin with curiosity rather than the pressure of winning a medal. He emphasised understanding concepts, asking questions and remaining consistent, adding that genuine interest in a subject can help sustain motivation.