“Maths competitions are number games. If you abide by the rules of numerical logic, you win,” says Jonnalagadda Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash (13), a class X student of the co-ed Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Public School (estb. 1979), Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad and winner of the Malaysia based SIP International’s Abacus Competition 2013, staged in Singapore on September 29. Over 800 international students participated in the day-long competition.

Quite clearly Bhanu Prakash has mastered the rules of cryptic maths games and competitions. In June, the Limca Book of Records (India’s version of the Guinness World Records) listed him for breaking seven records in three categories of mental maths. Also the national champion of competitions conducted by SIP in Bangalore (2011) and Pune 2012, Bhanu Prakash trained at the SIP Academy, Hyderabad.

The Chennai-based SIP Academy Pvt. Ltd (estb. 2003), which offers skills training for the mental development of children in the age group five-15, has franchised centres in 19 states with an aggregate enrollment of 45,000 students. Its focus is on rigorous mental maths training to solve calculus problems quickly and without the use of pen and paper.

“Solving maths puzzles, problems and equations is my passion and recreation. I often create my own problems and solve them in different ways. I find mathematics very challenging and fascinating,” says Bhanu Prakash. Encouraged by his father J. Srinivas who runs a food processing business in Hyderabad, and mother J. Hema Shiva Parvathi, a homemaker, he is also motivated and assisted by his sister, Manonmani. And not surprisingly, Srinivasa Ramanujan and Stephen Hawking are the role models of this young maths prodigy, who intends to make a career in astrophysics.

However, Bhanu Prakash is far from being a typical nerd. Interested in classical and western music, he is an avid reader of space science fiction and Greek and Roman mythology. He also loves to debate current affairs. “I’m fortunate that I receive as much encouragement in developing my mental maths capabilities in school as I do at home. Now I’m working on a set of mental maths problems which could be recognised by Guinness World Records,” says Bhanu Prakash.

Wind in your sails!

Aruna Ravikumar (Hyderabad)