Aniket Raja
Every child comes into the world with an innate potential to achieve the impossible. It is the responsibility of the society to nurture their talent by having an unshakable faith in their potential. Rabindranath Tagore has rightly said, “Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man “.” In this edition we will learn about the indomitable spirit of a few children who took the road less travelled and made a name in the world by showcasing their hidden potential.
Ramkumar Raman: Consistency pays off, not just in Balance Sheets but also in efforts. Through sheer perseverance and confidence 18-year-old Ramkumar Raman became the youngest Chartered Accountant in the world. Keeping to a strict routine to the extent of eating the same curry and wearing the same dress for every exam, the diligent student cleared all 14 papers of the course in the very first attempt.After studying for the CA examinations for 3 years, Chennai born Raman cracked the almost impossible code of success in these exams. Having studied and passed his exams in Dubai, he now wants to pursue an MBA in the USA to become an investment banker.He managed his school, co curricularactivities and CA simultaneously, which definitely isn’t a wonder, with him coming from a family full of Chartered Accountants.
Moin M Junnedi has suffered more fractures in his life than he has bones in his body due to osteogenesisimpertecta, a disease that makes bones so brittle that coughing can fracture them. But this didn”t stop 16-year old Moin from winning the 50m backstroke gold medal at IWAS (International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports) World Games in Puerto Rico. He also holds the record for being the youngest Indian swimmer with a locomotive disability, earning him the nickname “Boy Wonder”.
Shorya Mahanot is the youngest genius painter from Madhya Pradesh. Aged 7, he has been painting since the last 3 years. Known for his mind-boggling abstract paintings, the little one is making waves on many art platforms and was also accepted as disciple by the great cartoonist, RK Laxman. Shorya started his tryst with colours when he discovered his sisters” art books. But unlike her, he gravitated towards abstract works, very much like Jackson Pollock, who incidentally happens to be this young prodigy”s role model. When asked about Pollock in an interview, Shorya replied, “He also makes paintings like me.”
Truptraj Pandya was just 18 months old when he started playing the tabla. At age 6, he was awarded with a certificate from Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest ever Tabla Master. Truptraj, who loves playing for classical and devotional songs, was only 18 months old when his tryst with the tabla began.
Priyanshi Somani popularly known as the Human Calculator won the overall title in the Mental Calculation World Cup in 2010. A native of Surat, Somani is the only participant to have achieved 100 per cent accuracy in addition, multiplication, square root in all five Mental Calculation World Cups. Priyanshi began doing mental maths at the age of 6 and won the prestigious Mental Calculation World Cup 2010 and also etched her name in Limca Book of World Record and Guinness Book of World records for her incredible feats in mathematical calculation. Hailing from Gujarat, and now 16 years, she works as a research assistant at Stanford University
Kautilya Pandit known as the “Google Boy”, is a six year old boy from Haryana exceptionally good with general knowledge and current affairs. Without any help, Pandit can recollect the general details and statistics of 213 countries. Pandithas also co-hosted the Children”s Day episode of KaunBanegaCrorepati with Amitabh Bachchan.
Anshuman Nandi Four year old Anshuman Nandi from Tripura is already famous as one of India”s youngest drummers. He picked up drumming while observing his dad teaching it to some of his students. Nandi has already made a mark in the national arena by showcasing his skill in India”s Got Talent and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa .
Chitresh Tatha Twelve year old Chitresh Tatha from Tamil Nadu has a bright future in sailing. At the Asian Games, he was the youngest sailor to participate from India. He trains for almost six hours a day and sails in the Optimist Dinghy category. His exploits have seen him travel all over the world including Ireland, France, Bahrain, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Malta.
Aravindh Chithambaram this young chess prodigy could very well be the next Magnus Carlsen. Recently in an event featuring 21 Grandmasters and 30 International Masters, this 14-year old (who was seeded 53rd) beat four grandmasters and won the Open GM tournament. His coach RB Ramesh believes that Aravindh can be a serious threat in international meets if only he gets to play in those events more often. Let”s hope things do work out for this kid, and he brings laurels for India.
Children, it is not that these children are extra ordinary. The fire in their belly to achieve the impossible makes them special.
(To be concluded)
