A talented team of students from Pune and Mumbai secured a Meritorious Award at the International Mathematical Modelling Challenge (IM²C) 2026 held at Harvard University.

  • A four-member team from Pune and Mumbai ranked among the top 11 globally at IM²C 2026.
  • The team developed a risk management model for Etosha National Park in Namibia.
  • The award ceremony took place at the prestigious Harvard Science Center.
  • The students also gained exposure to MIT during their visit to Boston.

In a remarkable display of intellectual prowess, a student team from Pune and Mumbai has brought immense pride to India by winning the Meritorious Award at the International Mathematical Modelling Challenge (IM²C) 2026. Competing against 68 teams from 37 different countries, the Indian contingent secured a spot among the top 11 teams worldwide.

The team features Tanish Rajesh Kulkarni from Bharati Vidyapeeth Rabindranath Tagore School of Excellence (Pune), Anshveer Bindra from Oberoi International School (Mumbai), and Nipun Saha and Vedansh Saha from Dhirubhai Ambani International School (Mumbai). After dominating the national rounds, they were selected to represent India on the global stage.

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Academic Excellence at Harvard and MIT

The IM²C Summit and Award Ceremony were held at the Harvard Science Center on the campus of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, from August 5 to 9, 2026. Beyond the competition, the students had the rare opportunity to tour both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), providing them with unparalleled exposure to the world's leading academic environments.

The team was mentored by Dr. Sagar Shrivastava, a postdoctoral researcher at Iowa State University, whose guidance was instrumental in navigating the complexities of the competition.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the increasing participation and success of Indian students in international STEM competitions signify a shift toward applied mathematics and computational research at the high school level. This success underscores the effectiveness of specialized programs in preparing students for global academic rigor.

The ability of these students to translate complex mathematical theories into functional risk-management models is a testament to the rising standard of scientific education in India.

The core challenge this year focused on Etosha National Park in Namibia. Tasked with managing conservation resources, the students had to account for threats like poaching, forest fires, and human-wildlife conflict. The team's solution involved writing over 3,000 lines of code and conducting large-scale data simulations to create a spatially informed framework for resource deployment.

Historical Background

Organized by the Consortium for Mathematics and its Applications (COMAP), the IM²C has long been a premier platform for students to apply mathematical modeling to real-world issues. It bridges the gap between classroom theory and practical, evidence-based decision-making in fields like ecology, economics, and engineering.

Did You Know?: The students utilized LaTeX, a high-end typesetting system, to produce their professional-grade technical report!

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What was the specific task given to the students?
Answer: They had to develop a mathematical risk model to optimize conservation resource allocation in Namibia's Etosha National Park.

Question 2: Where was the award ceremony held?
Answer: The ceremony was held at the Harvard Science Center on the Harvard University campus.