Date:18/11/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/18/stories/2006111817740200.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Child prodigies to participate in global meet

Staff Reporter

M. Vishnu Vardhan, T.R. Shreeja emerge national champions

SWEET SUCCESS: M. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy (right) and T.R. Shreeja with the trophies in Hyderabad on Friday. — Photo: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: To solve 90 problems of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in five minutes is not an easy task.

But for six-year-old M. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy and eleven-year-old T.R. Shreeja, studying second and sixth standard respectively, it is a cakewalk.

The two kids from the twin cities are now national champions of the SIP Prodigy 2006 Abacus and Brain Gym competitions that were conducted here in the city recently.

Master Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, a student of Narayana Concept School, Kukatpally, who solved 89 problems in five minutes, bagged the level-I National Champion Trophy while Shreeja of Pallavi Model School, Bowenpally, grabbed the level-V National Champion Trophy after solving 92 problems in the specified time.

Guess what, the two students stand apart even in their ambitions.

While Shreeja wishes to be a professor in Mathematics, Vishnu Vardhan dreams to become a pilot.

The two whiz kids would be representing India at the SIP International Prodigy 2007 competitions at Colombo in February.

In all, 4,000 children in the age group of 6-12 years from all over the country participated in the competitions.

Nearly 1,500 students participated in the competition from the State, out of which 1,000 students represented Hyderabad. Nine other students from the city won the regional-level competitions.

J. Sampath Kumar, head, operations, SIP Academy India Private Limited, talking to the mediapersons said while training the youngsters emphasis was laid on speed, accuracy and concentration.