In the latest development, five students have been selected to represent India at the 2025 International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), scheduled to be held in Mumbai this August.

The selection was made during the Orientation-cum-Selection Camp (OCSC) organised at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali.

The camp, held by IISER Mohali, provided hands-on training and tested students’ understanding of astronomy and astrophysics. The 37 students who attended the camp were selected from approximately 500 candidates who participated in the Indian National Astronomy Olympiad.

The selected students are Aarush Mishra, Sumant Gupta, Banibrata Majee, Panini, and Akshat Srivastava. These students will represent India in the international event, which brings together some of the best young minds in astronomy from across the globe.

Special awards were also given to students based on their performance during the camp. Aarush Mishra received the CL Bhat Memorial Award for overall performance.

Sumant Gupta earned recognition for the best score in the observational test. Akshat Srivastava stood out by winning two awards -- for theory and data analysis.