Granth Thakkar from Vapi Gujarat- New World Mental Arithmetic Champion in Germany

Granth Thakkar, a 13 year old schoolboy from Vapi, Gujarat is the new World mental arithmetic champion.  Granth won the 6th world championship in mental arithmetic on October 12 in Dresden, Germany, shocked judges with his ability to solve mathematical problems in few seconds and without any mistakes.

The event saw participants perform tasks as difficult as finding root numbers and multiplying eight-digit figures mentally without using any aids, not even a paper and pencil. There were enthusiastic participants from more than 18 countries and about 40 in number. Marc Jornet Sanz from Spain won the second prize and Chie Ishikawa from Japan stood third.

Granth Thakkar had also competed in math Olympiad in Turkey's Antalya city where he had won gold in the world's fastest number game 'Flash Anzan'.  The challenge was to add up 15 numbers, flashing so quickly on a giant screen that one can hardly see them. Granth won gold in the kids' category and silver in the adults' category. 

Granth Thakkar has won 8 medals in this championship. Granth’s father is municipality clerk. When Granth won this championship, the Japanese Government sent a team to make a documentary on Granth Thakkar in Vapi.

Granth is called new world’s fastest arithmetic calculator and when he was asked about his career plan then this Indian genius said that he wanted to become an astronaut.  There was a team of 7 participants in this championship from Vapi, Gujarat but finally.