Agartala, June 05, 2024: Two students from Agartala have secured top ranks in Science Olympiad exam 2023-24. Satya Das of grade fourth from Sri Krishna Mission School, has achieved international rank-1 in International English Olympiad earning an international gold medal and a merit certificate. Another student Archisman Debnath of grade first from Holy Cross School has secured International Mathematics Rank-2, received international Silver Medal along with a merit certificate.

This year’s SOF Olympiad saw participation from lakhs of students across 70 countries. The Science Olympiad Foundation hosted an awards ceremony at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre, Delhi to honor the winners, their teachers, and principals for the academic year 2023-24. The event celebrated the top three worldwide rank holders from grade 1 to 12 who participated in seven different Olympiad exams. Distinguished guests like former Chief Justice of India, Justice Dipak Misra, and renowned author and screenwriter Chetan Bhagat graced the occasion.

At the ceremony, former chief Justice of India Justice Dipak Misra addressed the gathering of over 700 attendees, he said, “Competition or the effort to compete doesn’t end here, that is the beauty of competition in Life. When you talk about competition, success follows it because everyone competes to succeed. Success is the real achievement.

He further highlighted that one may not be able to master the ‘time’ but they should be determined to manage time. Time management is a major step toward success. On the path of success one may, sometimes, face certain difficulties and at that time, do not react in a manner that will show weakness of mind. The young students should always keep in mind where they have studied and never forget their Alma Mater. He underscored that the unique experience and intellect of a human mind can never be replicated by artificial intelligence.

During the event, 66 international rank-1 winners received a cash prize, a gold medal, and a merit certificate. The 66 rank-2 winners were given a silver medal and a merit certificate along with a cash prize, while the 66 rank-3 winners received a bronze medal, a merit certificate, and a cash prize. Additionally, the top 26 principals and top 60 teachers from 70 participating countries, whose students performed exceptionally well, were honored with monetary awards, mementos, and citations.

Moreover, SOF announced the launch of International Hindi Olympiad to encourage the Hindi language among the younger generation, nurturing a deeper appreciation and proficiency in their mother tongue. This new Olympiad aims to promote linguistic and cultural pride among students globally.

While interacting with students, Chetan Bhagat, Indian Author and Columnist, said, “When you get recognition and awards for something, you feel, I should do it more. This is the recognition of your potential. Potential doesn’t mean that the result is guaranteed. You have to do the work and then you turn that potential into something beautiful.”

Speaking on the rise of AI he further added that while AI can make things easy but it can never truly replace humans. AI cannot create art, it lacks human touch.

Mahabir Singh, Founder Director of SOF, proudly announced the completion of 26 years of organizing Olympiad exams. He said, “In the 2023-24 academic year, over 91,000 schools from 70 countries participated, with millions of students involved. More than 1,30,000 students from 7000 schools received awards for top state-level ranks, and over 1,000,000 students were honored with “Gold Medals of Excellence” for excelling in their schools. Additionally, 3,500 principals and teachers were recognized for their dedication to enhancing students’ academic knowledge.”

Various initiatives were announced during the ceremony, including scholarships for meritorious girl children from economically weaker sections and students from Defense Services Families who excel in academics. Additionally, training programs, camps, and exhibitions were organized by SOF to further enhance students’ academic knowledge.

The award felicitation ceremony was also graced by Guest of honour Prof. Y. S. Rajan, Former Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Prof ISRO, Visionary Scientist, Author, Technologist, CS Ashish Mohan, Secretory, Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and Mr.  R. Ravi, CEO, Founder Epiance Software Pvt. Ltd. B’luru.