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Last Updated:August 04, 2025, 15:47 IST
A four-member Indian student team won gold, silver, and bronze at the 2025 International Linguistics Olympiad in Taipei, competing against 227 students from 42 countries.

The youngsters in the team included 15 year-old Vaageesan Surendran (from Chennai), 12-year-old Advay Misra (from New Delhi), 18 year-old Nandagovind Anurag (from Bengaluru), and 15 year-old Siripurapu Bhuvan (from Hyderabad).
A four-member Indian student team achieved a remarkable and unprecedented success at the 2025 International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) by bagging one gold, one silver and a bronze, along with two individual and a team-level honourable mentions at the event, held in Taiwan’s Taipei from July 21 to 27.
This year’s performance is a milestone for the country, with each member winning an individual award since it began participating in 2009. It is also the first time the Indian team has won a team-level honourable mention, news agency PTI reported.
The youngsters in the team included 15 year-old Vaageesan Surendran (from Chennai), 12-year-old Advay Misra (from New Delhi), 18 year-old Nandagovind Anurag (from Bengaluru), and 15 year-old Siripurapu Bhuvan (from Hyderabad).
The team, led by Professor Parameswari Krishnamurthy from IIIT-Hyderabad and accompanied by Anshul Krishnadas Bhagwat, a former IOL participant and an undergraduate researcher at IIIT-Hyderabad, competed against 227 students from 42 countries.
The Indian contingent, comprising Vaageesan Surendran (gold), Advay Misra (bronze), Nandagovind Anurag and Siripurapu Bhuvan (honourable mentions), competed against 227 students from 42 countries.
Who Are The Participants?
Vaageesan Surendran won the gold medal, Advay Misra won the bronze medal, Nandagovind Anurag and Siripurapu Bhuvan won honourable mentions.
Vaageesan, a native of Chennai, is fluent in multiple languages and scripts. He has credited his passion for linguistics and problem-solving for the win.
The youngest in the group and a known academic prodigy, Advay (12) from New Delhi, called the event a celebration of linguistic diversity.
Nandagovind, who is based in Bengaluru and is headed to Oxford, highlighted the global friendships and deeper appreciation of language that the Olympiad fosters. Bhuvan from Hyderabad echoed a similar sentiment.
What Is International Linguistics Olympiad?
The International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) is one of 13 major International Science Olympiads. It challenges participants’ logic, pattern recognition, and analytical skills through problems based on rare or little-known languages, and no prior knowledge of these languages is needed to compete.
The journey to IOL begins with the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO) held in India, including two selection rounds and a training camp in Hyderabad. Finalists receive intensive training before representing the country internationally.
The students advised future participants to enjoy the journey and cherish the global community IOL creates.
(With inputs from agencies)
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...
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August 04, 2025, 15:47 IST
News india Indian Team Shines High At International Linguistics Olympiad; Bags Gold, Bronze, Special Mentions
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