Bhubaneswar: Debadatta Priyadarshi from the city has won a gold medal at the 58th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2026, contributing to India’s clean sweep of four gold medals at one of the world’s most prestigious chemistry competitions.The olympiad was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from July 10 to 19, and brought together 363 students from 93 countries.Besides Debadatta, teammates Harshit Singhal (Punjab), Kabeer Chhillar (Delhi) and Sandeep Kuchi (Telangana) also won gold. For Debadatta, this is his second attempt at the chemistry olympiad. Last year in Dubai, he had won silver along with Sandeep.Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian team on its outstanding achievement. In a post on X, the PM wrote, “Their brilliance, dedication and passion for science have made the entire nation proud. It will also motivate countless young minds to study and excel in chemistry.”The International Chemistry Olympiad is an annual global competition that tests high school students on advanced theoretical and practical chemistry through a series of rigorous examinations.
