Pakistani student bags bronze medal in international chemistry competition

Published July 18, 2017
Maaha Ayub bagged the medal for Pakistan in the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad in Thailand. —Photo provided by author
Maaha Ayub bagged the medal for Pakistan in the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad in Thailand. —Photo provided by author

A student from Karachi has bagged a bronze medal in an international chemistry competition held in Thailand, among participants from over 75 countries, including the United States, China and Russia.

Maaha Ayub, an A-Levels student, won the competition and bagged the medal for Pakistan in the 49th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.

The competition was held on July 6-15, after which the results were announced.

Talking to Dawn, 19-year-old Ayub, who was among the very few girls participating in the contest, said: “It was no less an honour to represent Pakistan on an international level. The feeling of holding the country [Pakistan] flag in front of some of the biggest nations of the world was indescribable.”

Two teams from Pakistan, comprising four Chemistry students and five Physics students, were sent to compete against 297 students of respective subjects from around the world. The Physics Olympiad was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

The 10-hour-long contest was very strenuous, said Ayub. It was divided into practical and theoretical exams of five hours each, she explained.

Students were selected under the STEM careers programme after nationwide screening tests were held in all major cities of the country.

Four Pakistani students were sent to compete against 297 students from around the world. —Photo provided by author
Four Pakistani students were sent to compete against 297 students from around the world. —Photo provided by author

Top 50 students for each competition were selected for training in the subjects, who were further shortlisted after attending three-week long training camps. Finally, two teams were selected to represent Pakistan in the international contests.

“We got the opportunity to interact with many students from around the world. This [exposure] helped to present a positive image of Pakistan in front of a global audience,” said Ayub, adding that it was a great opportunity to show the world that when given a chance, “the youth of Pakistan was no less in potential than the rest”.

Opinion

Editorial

After the review
Updated 16 Mar, 2025

After the review

Should prepare economy for durable growth by attracting foreign private investments to boost productivity and exports.
Embracing crypto
16 Mar, 2025

Embracing crypto

IT seems a little prod was all it took for Pakistan to finally ‘embrace the future’. The Pakistan Crypto Council...
Fault lines
16 Mar, 2025

Fault lines

IT was a distressing spectacle, though a sadly predictable one. As the National Assembly took up for discussion the...
Revised solar policy
Updated 15 Mar, 2025

Revised solar policy

Criticism policy revisions misplaced as these will increase payback periods for consumers with oversized solar systems.
Toxic prejudice
15 Mar, 2025

Toxic prejudice

WITH far-right movements on the march across the world, it is no surprise that anti-Muslim bias is witnessing high...
Children in jails
15 Mar, 2025

Children in jails

PAKISTAN’S children in prison have often been treated like adult criminals. The Sindh government’s programme to...