5 Child Prodigies Who’ve Made India Proud

India is widely known for its rich heritage and diversity. The country is a powerhouse of immense potential and extraordinary talent. And, it’s not just the adults who are stealing the limelight; our young prodigies, too, are creating a stir with their extraordinary achievements. As India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, let’s shine the spotlight on 5 young minds who are making us all proud. 

Priyanshi Somani from Surat

Youngest Human Calculator

Winner of Mental Calculation World Cup 2010, Priyanshi showed an inclination towards maths from a very young age. She became a National Champion in the Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition in 2006 when she was merely 7 years old. After dominating at the national level, she took on to compete at international platforms. Her triumphant moment arrived in 2007 when she secured the top spot at the international abacus competition in Malaysia. Her phenomenal performance earned her a place in the Limca Book of World Records and Guinness Book of World Records. he is widely known as India’s youngest human calculator. 

Kautilya Pandit

Google Boy

With an IQ the same as that of Einstein (150), Kautilya has time and again amazed people with his phenomenal knowledge. Also known by the names Google Boy, Genius Child, and Space Boy, Kautilya could easily recall the names of planets, satellites, countries & their capitals, when other kids of his age were still learning alphabets and numbers. He was awarded the Global Child Prodigy award in 2020 and also made a guest appearance on “Kaun Banega Crorepati”, becoming the youngest guest on the show.” Apart from this, Kautilya has also appeared on many renowned talk shows. He has bagged many awards including the Global Child Prodigy Award (Jan 2022), Bharat Gaurav Award (House of Commons London 2015), Award of Appreciation By the Government of Dubai, Prodigy Award by the Government of State of Haryana, and Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award by RGGEA Foundation.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

Indian Chess Prodigy

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, popularly known as Pragg, stunned the world with his remarkable performance at the 2024 Norway Chess tournament. He started playing chess when he was merely three and a half. Ranked No. 8 by the International Chess Federation, Pragg won the World Youth Chess Championship U-8, securing the title of FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs) Master. At just 10 years old, he etched his name in history as the youngest International Master ever. His exceptional talent was recognized with the Arjuna Award in 2022 and the prestigious CNN-News18 Indian of the Year title in 2023. The 18-year-old defeated World Champion Ding Liren at the 2024 Tata Steel Chess Tournament and surpassed GM Viswanathan Anand in the rankings.

Nihal Raj

Little Chef Kicha

Nihal is not just any ordinary child; he's a culinary sensation who has captured the hearts of millions. One of the youngest YouTube entrepreneurs in India, Nihal started his cooking channel, KichaTube, with the help of his father, when he was just 5. Nihal's culinary skills, showcased through his engaging videos, have helped him gain a massive following. His ability to turn simple ingredients into scrumptious dishes has captivated audiences. His amazing talent was globally recognized in 2020 when he was awarded the Global Child Prodigy Award. Nihal garnered a lot of attention after he made an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show where he made steamed rice cakes. He is the youngest in the world to sell a video to Facebook. Nihal has also been felicitated with the Indian Youth Icon award, and Pride of India award.

Master Truptraj Pandya

Youngest Tabla Master

Master Truptraj Pandya stunned the audience with his first public performance at Mumbai’s Somaiya College, not only because he was too good, but also because he was just 2 years old then. Hard to believe, but it’s true. It doesn’t stop here, he played live at All India Radio when he was 3 years old, and eventually, he was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records for being the youngest-ever Tabla Master. Growing up, Truptraj would often accompany his grandmother’s songs by rhythmically tapping on aluminium utensils. He is fondly loved by legendary classical musicians like Ustad Zakir Hussain and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasiya. 

Nurturing a child's interests from a young age can lead to extraordinary achievements. Would you be your child's biggest cheerleader?