Page 25 - Mann Ki Baat - English

Outdoor games in the These helped build a healthy
evenings and post-dinner indoor working relationship among
board games every day helped the jury members. The final
relieve stress and keep their coordination process where
minds fresh. Classes covering one has to grade problems was
techniques and problem- intense and well coordinated.
solving sessions kept the team Three Fields' medallists were
focussed. With good access present at the IMO (Prof. Timothy
to the internet, past Olympiad Gowers, Prof. Terence Tao and
papers of other countries and Prof. Maryna Viazovska), and
past IMO papers are readily students could visit a fourth
available. Solving these gave the Fields’ medallist (Prof. James
team some idea of the general Maynard) at Oxford. Their
toughness of IMO papers. presence has been invaluable in
As a first-time team leader, firming one’s resolve to focus on
my experience of the jury process excellence, especially the young
of picking the paper with all other team members, as they are at
country team leaders was very an impressionable age.
memorable. Several top notch Given this mathematically
mathematicians were on the star-studded event and our
‘Problem Selection Committee’ encouraging result, we sincerely
and it was interesting to interact hope that young students set
with them and, in the process, themselves towards achieving
make new friends. Several ‘excellence’ in their interested
countries gave papers of their parts of Mathematics and work
National Olympiads either as towards fulfilling them.
question papers or in a pendrive.

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