Pakistani talent bags medals at International Maths Olympiad

Global competition hosted in Bath, United Kingdom was won by American, Chinese and South Korean teams

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This image shows the Pakistani flag. — Unsplash
This image shows the Pakistani flag. — Unsplash

ISLAMABAD: Students from Pakistan shined bright at the 65th International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) 2024 as they secured silver and bronze medal at the global competition.

According to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), the competition was held from July 11 to 22, in Bath, United Kingdom.

Razi Hasan Mansoor, a student from Karachi, claimed the silver medal, while Muhammad Ahmad Bhatti of Karachi School won the bronze medal.

Additionally, Muhammad Mehd Arif of Lahore's Sundus School bagged "Honorable Mention" for Pakistan at the international event.

This success follows closely on the heels of another achievement, with two Pakistani students clinching bronze medals at the International Biology Olympiad in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Pakistani team participated in the Olympiad under the auspices of the STEM Career Program, a joint program of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) University.

The mathematics team was trained at Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) University, Lahore Campus and was mentored by Prof Dr Sarfaraz Ahmed and Dr Hani Shakir.

Under the auspices of the PAEC, PIEAS University conducts National Science Talent Competition every year in four subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.

In the competition held in 19 cities across Pakistan, selected students are sent to participate in the International Olympiad under the Stamp Career Program.

Internationally, the American, Chinese and South Korean teams were winners.

India's Olympiad total score of 167 ranks fourth, just one notch behind third-place of South Korea. The total score of the US’s winning team is 192.

All 609 students in Olympiad including 528 males and 81 females participated in IMO 2024 in which 108 countries participated.

Indian team's Aditya Mangodi's performance ranked him fifth — the best performance so far by any member of the Indian team.

Speaking to international media, the winning team said that the IMO "provided them with an opportunity to meet past medal winners, experts and their peers from over a hundred countries."

In the Indian team, Mangodi, Ananda Bhadhuri, Guwahati Talwar, Rasil Mathur from Mumbai won gold medals.

Meanwhile, Arjun Geetha from Delhi won the silver medal and Siddharth Chopra received "Honorable Mention”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on X, as he wrote: "It's a matter of immense joy and pride that India has come 4th in its best-ever performance in the International Maths Olympiad.

"Our contingent has brought home 4 Golds and one Silver Medal. This feat will inspire several other youngsters and help make mathematics even more popular."