Page 36 - EW may 2026

Young Achievers

the Young Talent Scheme of the began speed chanting in 2022 as
Gir-Somnath region. Recognised a six-year-old. “I memorised a few
early for her athletic/sports po- Sanskrit shlokas which my teachers
tential, she was admitted into the had taught me. When the audience
District Level Sports School, an started cheering for me, I felt their
initiative of the Sports Authority of positive energy come through which
Gujarat (estb.2013). Subsequently became my inspiration to learn San-
through grit and determination, skrit,” recalls Aryama.
What began as a memory-build-
she progressed to the Gujarat State ing exercise has fully transformed
Academy.
Vijay Bharat Foundation Ahmedabad tion point when her coach Lal first anniversary of Ayodhya’s Ram
this young prodigy’s life. On the
The year 2022 proved an inflec-
Mandir in January 2025, Aryama
Krishan Baghel brought her to the
made a resolution to chant Shri Ram
high-performance centre at Vijayi
Bharat Foundation in Ahmedabad.
Sahasranama — a sacred hymn
Here, Shahin was introduced to
Rama — 18 times continuously. Last
scientific training and a high-per-
year on Navaratri, she was felicitated
formance mindset that motivated comprising 1,000 names of Lord
SHAHIN R. DARJADA her to intensify training to compete by Lucknow’s mayor for reciting the
complete Sri Durga Saptashati, a
in international competitions.
Currently, Shahin is focused on 700-verse text from the Puranas.
ased in Gir-Somnath (Guja- the LA Olympic Games 2028. “I Apart from being a memorisa-
rat), judoka Shahin Rajakbhai understand that hard, continuous tion record breaker, Aryama is an
BDarjada (20) is making waves training is necessary for interna- avid linguist having learned to speak
in the national and international tional judo tournaments. I am ready several languages including Span-
circuits. Last December (2025), she to endure pain to bring home an ish, German, Russian and Mandarin
won a silver at the Senior National Olympic medal for India,” says this fluently. She is also an astronomy
Judo Championships staged in Ma- budding champion. enthusiast who routinely consults
nipur in the 57 kg category. Earlier The force be with you! reference books and YouTube videos
in September, she was crowned Runa Mukherjee Parikh (Ahmedabad) to acquire knowledge about the uni-
champion at the Asian Junior Judo verse and its galaxies
Championships 2025 held in Ja- “Memorisation and chanting
karta (Indonesia), and bagged two ARYAMA SHUKLA are great educative and meditative
gold medals at the Taipei Cadet and experiences. Ever since I took it up,
Junior Asian Cup and the Macau I have noticed my concentration has
Junior Asian Judo Cup in July. ucknow-based Aryama Shukla improved. I’m lucky to have a sup-
These achievements are espe- (10), a class V student of the portive Principal, Samvida Adhikari
cially noteworthy because Shahin — Ltop-ranked City Montessori and teachers who always encour-
a class XII student of the Somnath School, Aliganj 2 Campus, is wowing age me. These opportunities helped
Academy, Gir-Somnath — was born audiences in the city with her memo- me to develop my talent,” says the
and raised within the Siddi com- risation and chanting skills. In early academic topper, who over the years
munity of African descent which January this year, while blindfolded has won five gold medals at Maths,
inhabit villages in Gujarat’s Saura- she recalled 630 decimal places of science, English, computer science
shtra region. These descendants of the mathematical constant Pi (3.14) and general knowledge Olympiads.
the Bantu tribe of the Zanj coast in in one minute, a record breaking Mind boggling!
South-east Africa, who migrated to feat. Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
India between the 7th-16th centu- Earlier in 2024 on the occasion
ries, are now Indian citizens. An of Bhagavad Gita Jayanti
isolated rural community, Siddis (December 11) at Lucknow’s
have limited access to education Ramakrishna Math — a
and sports infrastructure. “I carry monastic organisation estab-
the responsibility of representing lished by Swami Vivekananda
my entire neglected community, but — young Aryama flawlessly
I believe that with hard work and chanted all 700 verses of the
right guidance, it is possible to rise Bhagavad Gita in two hours
above any challenge,” says Shahin. and ten minutes, a feat which
The fifth child of father Rajak- won her the World Record for
bhai, a house helper in a govern- Excellence (UK) certification.
ment circuit house, and mother The elder of two children
Faridaben, Shahin was introduced of Vivek Shukla, a senior
to this Japanese martial art at age manager in a multinational
ten when she was selected under company and Anshika,
a homemaker, Aryama

36 EDUCATIONWORLD MAY 2026