I am Dr. Dattatray Dhobale, father of Sarthak Dattatray Dhobale, my son and protege of Yaashaa Golovanov Sir at his premier international math circle, AMMOC. Sarthak is an incoming student for UG in pure math at Princeton, and he has received a full scholarship for his entire education at Princeton. This post is written as a culmination of the journey of my child, Sarthak, that started in October 2020 under the tutelage of Yaashaa Golovanov Sir.

In the aftermath of Princeton’s admission offer with a full scholarship, our family is deeply moved, humbled, and honored by feelings and wishes from countless people who have been observant of the journey [research, mathematical contests, and outreach teaching] of my child at AMMOC. We will always remember this day as one of historic significance in our lives. For the Indian math community and AMMOC, it is nothing less than a profound pride. We are immensely grateful for the phenomenal celebration within the AMMOC family and the recognition from eminent mathematicians and scientists across India.

We were overwhelmed with emotion upon reading Sarthak’s acceptance letter from Princeton. However, this achievement—the seed and its cultivation into a thriving crop—would never have come to fruition had we withdrawn Sarthak from AMMOC in October 2023, driven by anxiety and uncertainty following his failure in the Indian Math Olympiad. I still recall the courage I had to muster to call Yaashaa Sir and inform him that Sarthak would focus on the IIT JEE and CBSE exams. When I shared this decision, he responded, “Do you think I will allow you to make a unilateral decision? He may be your biological child, but I have invested more in him during his most formative years than you have. I will fight tooth and nail to ensure Sarthak remains in AMMOC.”

We spoke for over two hours on a late-night phone call in October, and I eventually relented, convinced by his clarity of thought, strategic planning, and vision for shaping my child’s future. I have never encountered a mentor or teacher who would go to such lengths to secure the future of someone else’s child.

We were unaware of the full scope of Sarthak’s journey, but after that pivotal call, we decided to trust Yaashaa Sir’s plan. After all, he understood our child’s potential better than we did.

Consider our own experience: Would Sarthak have secured a full scholarship to Princeton if we had made the decisions ourselves? If we had chosen the university list independently? Given that Asian students rarely pursue mathematics at Princeton, and Sarthak lacked an IMO qualification, I believed that without an IMO, a full scholarship to any U.S. university—let alone an Ivy League institution like Princeton—was unattainable. Honestly, beyond general perceptions found online, what do we truly know about the academic strengths of a university’s specific department? Very little.

Regardless of our profession, connections, or the information we gather online, unless we are academicians ourselves, we lack the expertise to accurately assess our child’s abilities or shape their academic career, no matter our resources.

The U.S. admissions process is extraordinarily challenging, and a single misstep can lead to rejection from all universities. This is why we need a guru in our lives. When we find a mentor like Yaashaa Sir, we must entrust our child’s future to their guidance. In the academic world, parents have little influence. Only mentors, teachers, and guides can shape a child’s life for better or worse. For Sarthak, Yaashaa Sir is a friend, philosopher, and guide who will stand by him through thick and thin. For us, words cannot express what it means to have Yaashaa Golovanov in our lives.

Thank you all for being here to witness a truly remarkable story—one we typically only encounter in fiction, books, or movies.

To begin with, I want to start by quoting the exact words of Yaashaa Golovanov, sir, as he texted me back in 2023 when I applied to AMMOC.
“I don’t want your financial hardship to be an obstacle in your interest and devotion to mathematics. For this reason, I am recruiting you based on your financial status.”—Yaashaa Golovanov.

I am Nihad Hashimov. I am an incoming student on a full scholarship to study UG in pure mathematics at KAIST, South Korea. You can find more details about me at my webpage.
As Yaashaa Golovanov, sir, often says, life is defined by moments, not the span of time. This was a defining moment of my life!
So, when I came across AMMOC—an international math circle in December 2023—and read its website thoroughly, I could not fathom the monumental achievements of students at AMMOC—ranging from topmost IMO & EGMO to every other prestigious math competition, doing individual guided research in pure mathematics, and studying university-level courses—all under just one person, the founding director and sole instructor of AMMOC—Yaashaa Golovanov, Sir.

I had an instant urge to join this rigorous math community to deepen my understanding of pure mathematics. I applied, passed the entrance exam, and thus, for the first time, I met with Yaasha P. Golovanov. In the meeting, I expressed my interest and the source of my interest, lifelong goals, and how mathematics is a pivotal factor for me to achieve those ambitions. However, there was a financial barrier for me to attending AMMOC, and when I informed Sir [Yaasha P. Golovanov] that I was not able to join due to my financial status, a wonder happened, as I explained at the start!

In a word, Dear Yaasha Sir, I am grateful that fate made us meet. I am grateful that I have LEARNED and RESEARCHED ABSTRACT ALGEBRA & MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS and ACHIEVED so much under your guidance, which played a PIVOTAL ROLE in all my successful applications to KAIST, HKUST, the University of Hong Kong, and the University of Edinburgh, each one with a full scholarship. I and my family would always be thankful for your support. I appreciate your devotion to mathematics and raising future mathematicians. Thank you for being such a wholehearted person.

I am Ecaterina McCormick. In July 2023, my son, Thomas McCormick, began his journey at AMMOC under the mentorship of Yaashaa Golovanov, his mentor and teacher. Since then, the transformation in his mathematical skills has been truly remarkable, as evidenced by the following achievements as a continued protégé of AMMOC: High Distinction in the Australian AMC-2025; Gold Medal at the SMC (2025); qualified to appear for the BMO I-2025; Certificate of Merit in Hamilton Math Olympiad-2025 (UKMT); Gold Medal in IMC-2025 (UKMT); Silver Medal in SMC-2024 (UKMT); Distinction in Australian Mathematics Competition-2024; Performance with Honors in Canadian Jay Mathematics Contest (CJMC)-2024 of the Canadian Mathematical Society; and a High Distinction in Australian Mathematics Competition-2023. Please find copies of these certificates here.

AMMOC is an international math circle of formidable repute, credited with reviving mathematical education in the style quintessential to the USSR. All seminars are taught by Yaashaa Golovanov himself. Additionally, AMMOC’s senior scholarly disciples, Sarthak (now a student at Princeton on a full scholarship, Class of 2029), Parth Andhare, and Prasanna offer intensive regular additional support in the form of problem-solving. The services of these senior pupils are provided free of charge and are available only to those whom Yaashaa Golovanov deems fit. Furthermore, as a parent, I have only paid fees for Yaashaa Golovanov’s direct lessons. As part of his ‘academic norms and culture,’ senior pupils impart knowledge solely for the sake of pedagogy and intellectual value.

AMMOC consistently pushes students to reach their highest potential, ensuring they are well-prepared and confident. The curriculum is exceptionally rigorous, and the lecture style mirrors that of university mathematics courses typically taught by mathematicians at leading institutions of higher learning worldwide.

This approach to mathematical education has led to successful preparation for prestigious contests across continents and a seamless transition to university studies in pure mathematics. It is an extraordinary feat that, within barely five years since its creation, AMMOC has guided eight students (five of whom are international—outside the USA) to gain admission to some of the world’s most prestigious universities [that too, on full scholarship], including Princeton, Caltech, UChicago, Columbia, Imperial College London, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, UIUC, USC, Reed College, the University of Edinburgh, and the University of Toronto, among others.

AMMOC’s recommendation that, during their academic years, students must participate in several exams across continents has proven highly effective, as evidenced by the outstanding results achieved by every mentee, not just a select few. My son, Tommy, thoroughly enjoys each session, despite the high complexity of the theoretical mathematics presented. Yaashaa Golovanov embodies everything one could hope for in an exceptional teacher, mentor, and inspirer, combining a profound understanding of mathematics with immense passion. I wholeheartedly recommend joining him and his rigorous, structured program—AMMOC, an international math circle.

I am Badis Labbedi, Raslene Labbedi’s older brother. I study Theoretical Physics and Mathematics at the University of Chicago. I’m very pleased to testify that Raslene’s experience with the Arnold & Marsden International Mathematical Circle has been defined by rigorous instruction, disciplined structure, and clear academic growth. AMMOC’s curriculum is demanding and conceptually deep, pushing students well beyond standard contest preparation and into real mathematical thinking. Under the mentorship of Dr. Yaashaa P. Golovanov, Raslene received sustained teaching and an intensive summer program that built both technical strength and intellectual maturity. The academic guidance has been decisive. Director Golovanov teaches mathematics for its own sake—with genuine enjoyment, patience, and a level of care that is increasingly rare. He recognized potential in Raslene from the start and chose to support him without letting financial circumstances become a barrier. That decision mattered. It gave Raslene access to a learning environment he would not otherwise have had, and it kept him moving on an academic trajectory he cares deeply about. Having access to someone like Yaashaa Golovanov, who lives and teaches mathematics with this kind of sincerity, has shaped Raslene’s attitude toward the subject and broadened his ambitions. This environment also supported his work on journal-style writing, including three published solutions in Mathematical Reflections (Issue 4, 2024). Competition results reflect this training: AIME Qualifier with Special Honour of Distinction (AMC 10B), distinctive awards at the 2025 Stanford Math Tournament, Purple Comet (ranked 38th out of 1401 teams), International Math Bowl (Top 5 of 1008 teams), AMC Intermediate Certificate of Credit, multiple Math League International medals, and 1st Rank Gold Medal at Masder National Maths Competition. These outcomes were the product of systematic preparation rather than isolated effort. AMMOC’s influence extended beyond competitions. AMMOC—an extraordinary, scientifically rigorous program—strengthened Raslene’s academic profile and played a meaningful role in his acceptance into competitive high school scholarship programs, including a seat at WK UWC South Africa. Beyond credentials, AMMOC helped him develop discipline, independence, and long-range academic direction. In short, AMMOC has been transformative. It provided rigorous training, genuine mentorship, and the kind of mathematical environment that changes how a student sees the subject. It will remain central to Raslene’s development as he continues into the next stage of his mathematical education.

I am Somhesh Ganny. Since May 2023, my daughter, Ishika Ganny, has been under the academic mentorship and teaching instruction of Yaashaa Golovanov at AMMOC. My daughter started as his student at his AMMOC after her 10th grade, where she missed qualifying for the AMC-10.
Within a span of six months, Mr. Golovanov pushed her math skill a lot due to his daily basis proofs and problem-solving classes and helped her [during grade 11] qualify for

• AIME, through AMC-12 of the Mathematical Association of USA.
• Distinction in the Australian Math Contest, the flagship contest of the Australian Math Trust.
• And a few more notable international contests.

In addition to just helping Ishika learn the art of writing abstract proofs in mathematics and proficiency in math contests, he has been an amazing mentor, providing guidance and assistance to plan for my daughter’s college. I am very happy to share that my daughter has received admits (for EECS, class of 2029) from UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, the University of Illinois Urbana, Purdue, UC-Boulder, and the University of Southern California. He urges students to push themselves and find new limits in their thoughts and capabilities. Each student of AMMOC participates in various virtual contests across continents. We feel honored and blessed to have Mr. Golovanov as a mentor, guide, and teacher for our daughter. He is an honored teacher with dedication and commitment. He has started his math circle, AMMOC, in pursuit of creating great engineers, mathematicians, and scientists of the future.
Note for incoming students at AMMOC—Assignments are regular and mandatory for submission. Each class happens in a highly structured and cohesive group of mathematically equivalent students (in single digits).
My daughter is not the only one who has improved her math so well at AMMOC; each student has the same success story in math competitions and winning admissions and scholarships across most prestigious universities in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Asia. We have a parent group in which we can see the level of enthusiasm and pride each parent has about their child learning under Yaashaa Golovanov.
AMMOC’s curriculum is extremely demanding and structured in the style of famed Russian math education, and if you get a chance to be part of this premier virtual math circle, please don’t hesitate, and you should consider joining AMMOC. It has over a dozen students from the US and Canada. Others are from Europe and India.