The Indian team won third place at the 40th International Physics Olympiad held at Mexico City in mid July, bagging four golds and one silver. A total of 340 students from 76 countries took part in the competition. Priyank Parikh, son of Bahula and Pradeep Parikh was a member of the team.

The team matched last year’s performance in terms of medals won, but narrowly missed out on the second position that the country has secured in 2008, falling behind Korea by a mere 0.25%. Professor Vijay Singh, co-ordinator of the National Science Olympiad, on the basis of which the Indian team members were selected, told the press that last year’s and this time’s performance constitute the best efforts by any Indian team in any of the Olympiads so far.

Priyank made it to the Indian team after topping the selection exams in which 40,000 students from around 1,000 centres all over the country took part. This year he also secured 6th rank in the All India Joint Entrance Exam for admission to IITs.

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