Page 32 - EW-June-2025

Young Achievers

created a 3x3 grid followed by class III student of Mumbai’s Jam-
a 5x5 grid and a large 15x15 nabai Narsee School, was attracted
grid of 225. In these grids, to the thrill of racing at age five
the total of every row, column when he first got behind the wheel
and diagonal is identical. Cur- of a rented kart at the IndiKarting,
rently I am learning a tech- Wadala tracks. “Recognizing my tal-
nique that will enable me to ent and love for this sport, my loving
recall days of the week from parents invested in a professional
a 100-year-old calendar,” she 2-stroke Rotax racing kart, engine
enthuses. and safety gear when I turned six,”
Since this gifted child took recalls Aarav.
to mind, math and memory Since taking to professional
games five years ago, she has children’s go-karting in 2021, Aarav
greatly improved her con- has trained intensively under the
centration and math scores. supervision of eight-time national
“Earlier, I was an average champion Rayomand Banajee and
student, but now I am among Polo Cup champion Saurav Ban-
KENISHA BATHIA the class toppers. I easily remember dyopadhyay of Rayo Racing at the
famous speeches which has helped
Ajmera IndiKarting track, Mumbai.
me win elocution and public speak- “I train at the track three times a
enisha Bathia (10), a class ing competitions. I’m very grateful week for six-seven hours after school
V student of Children’s to my supportive school principal and on weekends. Training includes
KAcademy School, Mumbai is and teachers for their encourage- a daily fitness regimen, high-protein
captivating friends and audiences ment and for providing opportunities diet and meditation. Above all, rac-
with her extraordinary grasp of to exhibit my talent,” says Kenisha, ing has taught me discipline, which
ancient Indian mind and memory adding that when she is older, she as- helps me focus on any task I under-
techniques. She can recall and accu- pires to become another Shakuntala take,” says Aarav.
rately rattle off up to 100 names in Devi and do stage shows to demon- Although yet to attain double digit
any prescribed order — with a single strate her mind power techniques to age, Aarav is licenced by Federation
glance. Coincidentally, Kenisha’s the world. of Motor Sports Clubs, India (FM-
father, Dhaval, was also featured in SCI) and FIA (Federation Internatio-
EducationWorld two decades ago nale de Automobile) which qualifies
for similar capability! AARAV SUREKA him to race in India and abroad.
The sole child of Dhaval Bathia, a Most of his expenses are covered by
Vedic Math practitioner and author his parents, Mohit and Sonal Sureka,
of five books on entrepreneurship, o kart prodigy Aarav Sureka who are software professionals.
mind and memory training, and (9) is blazing a trail on na- Aarav aspires to become a
Shreya, a practicing lawyer, Kenisha Gtional and international motor Formula 1 driver and bring glory to
was an early starter in mastering racing circuits. Last January (2024), Indian motor sports, but not at the
the art of instant memorization. Aarav won the FMSCI IndiKarting expense of his schooling. “I balance
When barely three years of age, she Pro Season Championship 2024 held my studies and racing because I need
could easily recall numbers, names in Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Nine a strong education foundation to
and faces. When she turned six, she months later, this Mumbai-based pursue my racing dream,” says this
solved her first Sudoku puzzle. At go-karter finished #5 in the Final of amazingly mature child prodigy.
age eight, she started excelling in Round 5 (Chennai) of the Rotax Max Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
memory stunts and mental math. Challenge India (Nationals), and was
“Last year, I mastered recalling adjudged India’s youngest racer to
Ardh-Shatavdhan (50 words) and reach the final in his debut rookie
this year Shatavdhan (100 words) season.
with the help of my father, who is Nor are these the only encomiums
my inspiration. He bought me a that this tiny go-karter has won.
library of books when I was very Aarav led the Indian contingent in
young to introduce me to the read- Rotax Max Challenge International
ing habit. Now he teaches me Vedic Trophy (RMCIT) in Pattaya (Thai-
Math in a way that does not inter- land) this January. Later in March
fere with how it’s taught in school,” and last month, he was the sole
says this voracious pre-teen reader, Indian to race against the best driv-
yoga and meditation practitioner. ers of Asia under the IAME x30 Asia
A technique Kenisha is working Series in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia),
hard towards mastering this sum- finishing #11 in a competitive grid of
mer is creation of Magic Squares 22 drivers.
— square grids whose lines add up Born and raised in an adventure
to equal totals. “To begin with, I sports-loving household, Aarav, a

32 EDUCATIONWORLD JUNE 2025