At a press conference held at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) today, the six students, who returned only this morning, held forth on their fascination with the stars. The team is the first to be selected from a pool of applicants nationwide, in a organised and methodogical manner.

Ten countries participated in the Fourth International Astronomy Olympiad held in Crimea, from September 27 to October 2. This time around, the Indian team has won two gold medals, one each in the junior and senior categories (those in the 16-18 age category belong to the senior group and those below the age of 16 are in the junior group). The team has also won three silver medals and four bronze medals.

While Varun Bhalerao from Pune and Mayank Jha from Bhopal won the gold medals, Amar Chandra from Bangalore and Punyashloka Biswalfrom Delhi and Yousuf Fauzan from Lucknow won silver medals. Ranchu Mathew from Pune won a bronze.

It was for the first time that a National Astronomy Olympiad was held at 22 centres across the country for shortlisting candidates, said Prof M N Vahia of TIFR, one of the team leaders. Out of the initial 3,000 applicants, 1,000 students were selected, from whom 35 students were shortlisted for a camp held at the Nehru Science Centre. After a 15-day intensive course, the team members were shortlisted. The team was selected and trained by the Astronomical Society of India, with financial support from the Indian Space Research Organisation, while the entire process was coordinated by a panel of ASI members chaired by Dr Somak Raychaudhary.

``The selection process this time was very interesting,'' Varun, who participated in the Olympiad for the second time said. It wasn't so organised the last time, he added.

The six were unanimous that clubs or any other groups should be formed for giving childreninformation on astronomy. ``Even amateur astronomers' groups do not look at children,'' Mayank said. Also, astronomy is not part of the Indian curriculum, says Yousuf, adding that colleges and schools should get together to provide information on astronomy. Instead, ``We get a holiday,'' if any important astronomical phenomena like the solar eclipse occurs, the students said.

Perhaps the fact that astronomy is not part of the syllabus makes it more ``interesting'' for students, as Varun -- who says he liked to look at the stars a lot more than others -- puts it. But the six winners haven't chalked out their career plans either, but unanimously declare that more than a career option, they will continue with astronomy as a hobby.

The good thing about the Olympiad was that they got to meet a lot of new people, students said. ``Otherwise, I don't meet so many people interested in astronomy,'' says Varun. Also, Crimea, with its numerous observatories ``scattered all over the place'' was a ``fantasticexperience,'' says Yousuf. The team's success is extra-special considering that the visibility of stars is different in Crimea. The tests involved identifying celestial objects as well as giving interpretations on their shapes. Says Prof Vahia: ``The boys couldn't say that these stars are not visible in our country.''