Arietti's triumph in int'l robot olympiad at Just 8

She is only 8 years old, yet she is already building and programming robots. With her technical skills, she has brought glory to Bangladesh by winning medals at the 26th International Robot Olympiad in Busan, South Korea, held from January 17 to 20. The Bangladesh team won two gold, four silver, and four bronze medals in the competition. Among them, young Arietti Islam secured one gold and one silver medal—a remarkable achievement at such a young age.

Arietti is a third-grade student at Manipur School and College. Her fascination with robotics began when she was just three or four years old. Seeing some robotic components at home piqued her curiosity about how robots are made.

Her father, Shamim Reza, recalls, "My devices were very useful. She would ask me how to create certain gaps in circuits or how to program something. She was eager to learn about electronics—how to light up LEDs and how robots work." Realizing her keen interest, Shamim Reza took Arietti to BDOSN (Bangladesh Open Source Network), where she participated in a workshop. There, she discovered the joy of creating and innovating freely, which fueled her passion even more.

Arietti's mother, Kamrunnahar Dipa, describes her as different from other children. "She always needed someone to read books to her. She would always have a book in hand," she says. "I write using voice typing, and she learned from watching me. One day, she wrote a short story titled 'The Rabbit Eats Grass' and showed it to me. I was amazed because it had a structured beginning, middle, and ending—perfectly arranged like a real story!"

Seeing her daughter's talent, Shamim Reza bought her the book "Srishtir Ullashe Robotics" (The Joy of Creation in Robotics). "She read it thoroughly and started replicating the projects on her own," he explains. Through the book, she also learned about workshops, national-level competitions, and international robotics events.

In September, Arietti registered for the competition. After passing two stages, she qualified for the national round, where she met other robotics enthusiasts. She then attended 21 high-performance training camps before competing in the International Robot Olympiad. Overcoming various challenges, she successfully progressed through each stage and was selected for the Bangladesh national team. Competing in South Korea excited her even more, as she was determined to bring success to her country.

Speaking about Arietti’s incredible achievement, Professor Lafifa Jamal, Vice President of BDOSN and President of Bangladesh Robot Olympiad, said, "At just 8 years old, she competed alone in an event and won a gold medal. Usually, a team can have one to three members, but she participated alone. Not only that, but she also showcased exceptional skills in robotics, answered questions confidently, and impressed the judges with her performance. It’s truly unbelievable."

Arietti faced multiple challenges in the competition, yet she persevered and excelled. Professor Lafifa Jamal added, "This is a major achievement for us, especially for women. In STEM fields, female participation is still relatively low. However, in robotics, we are witnessing more female participants—and they are bringing home success."

Arietti Islam's achievement at the International Robot Olympiad is an inspiration to young innovators and a testament to the growing presence of Bangladeshi talent on the global stage.