Patna: Bihar boy Shitikanth Barnwal, who topped this year's Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admission to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), has won the gold medal at the 39th International Physics Olympiad.

Hundreds of students from 85 countries participated in the Physics Olympiad, which was held in Hanoi, Vietnam July 22-28.

"It was my childhood dream to bag the gold medal and at last I won it by hard labour," an upbeat Shitikanth said on Thursday.

"The Indian team won four gold medals and a silver medal. It was a wonderful experience," the 18-year-old told sources over telephone from Mumbai. Shitikanth had the highest aggregate score among Indians.

Shitikanth, who hails from Patna, left for Mumbai to prepare for the Physics Olympiad soon after the IIT-JEE results came out in early June.

Shitikanth's parents, Arun Kumar Barnwal and Anita Barnwal, said they were proud of his achievement.

"He was able to win the gold medal due to his hard work," Arun Kumar said.

Shitikanth says physics is his favourite subject but finds chemistry, especially inorganic chemistry, very tough.

"I love studying Physics. I have no problem in Physics. I'm also fond of maths," he said.

Shitikanth will join IIT Kanpur on Aug 1. "My aim is research. I am keen on higher studies," he said. IANS