In the International Olympiad of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) held in Poland, 14-year-old class XII student Sharad Mirani of Prakash Higher Secondary School of Ahmadabad won a gold medal. Sharad is one among the five students who were selected at the Indian National Astronomy Olympiad Orientation-cum-Selection Camp (OCSC) held at Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).

This win is a hat trick of sorts for Sharad. He had participated in an International Astronomy Olympiad at Ukraine in 2010 and had bagged a gold medal. Prior to that, he had won a bronze medal at the International Earth Science Olympiads (IESO) in Taiwan in 2009.

Sharad is aspiring to be an astrophysicist and is currently preparing for HSC and IIT examinations. Most of his knowledge about Astronomy was gathered from the internet and foreign students. His hard work, interest, and dedication have now become a source of inspiration for other Indian students who will be encouraged to participate in more international events.