A fascination for rare languages and the thrill of decoding complex clues led a team of young Indian minds to shine on the global stage. At the 22nd International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) held in Taiwan, a team of four students from India, guided by experts from the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH), made history by winning a gold medal, a bronze, and two honorable mentions—marking India’s best-ever performance at the event.

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 Siriparupu Bhuvan from Hyderabad. Vaageesan clinched the gold, Advay took home bronze, and Nandagovind and Bhuvan received honorable mentions. The team also earned a special honorable mention for their collective performance.

Guided by Experts, Driven by Passion

The team was mentored by Professor Parameswari Krishnamurthy from IIIT-Hyderabad, who has been instrumental in building India’s presence at the IOL. She also serves as the Organising Chair of the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO), India’s national qualifier for the global contest. Anshul Krishnadas Bhagwat, an undergraduate researcher from IIITH, accompanied the team as an observer.

"For the last few years, IIITH has played a major role in mentoring India's IOL team," said Professor Krishnamurthy, who also leads a 10-day training camp that sharpens students’ linguistic and analytical skills before the international showdown.

A Love for Languages

Vaageesan’s story is particularly compelling. The 15-year-old gold medalist is fluent in English, Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindi, alongside his mother tongue, Tamil. Remarkably, he can read scripts in 34 different languages. “Some problems were easy, others were hard, but all of them were fascinating,” he said after the competition.

Fellow teammate Nandagovind, who spent months solving past Olympiad problems and training with mentors, said the group sessions were especially useful. “I found the group solving with my teammates and friends quite helpful,” he said, highlighting the value of collaboration in a challenge often dominated by individual reasoning.

The Road to the IOL

The path to this global stage begins with the Panini Linguistics Olympiad (PLO), held across Indian cities for school students. The top scorers from the first round progress to the Asia Pacific Linguistics Olympiad (APLO) and a specialized camp at IIITH. This rigorous selection and training process ensures that only the most dedicated and skilled students represent India at the IOL.

This year’s IOL featured 227 participants from 57 teams representing 42 countries and territories. India’s performance stood out not just for the medals but for the unprecedented achievement of every team member winning an award—a first since the country started participating in 2009.

About the IOL

The International Linguistics Olympiad is one of 13 International Science Olympiads. It challenges secondary school students to analyze unfamiliar languages, uncover grammatical structures, and decode cultural histories. The event is divided into individual and team rounds. In the individual segment, participants must solve five complex problems in six hours, each requiring a thorough explanation. The team event involves solving one large problem collaboratively over four hours.

For these young minds, the joy lies as much in the process as in the prizes. Their victory highlights the power of language to unite and inspire.