In India, a teenager broke 6 Guinness World Records related to mental calculation within a single day, earning him the title of “human calculator.” Interestingly, his family had no idea where this ability came from.
According to the report on the Guinness World Records website on February 12th, the 14-year-old boy named Aaryan Shukla lives in Maharashtra, India.
About a year ago, Shukla set his first Guinness World Record on the Italian reality show “Lo Show Dei Record.” At that time, he could add 50 five-digit numbers solely through mental calculation in just 25.19 seconds, equivalent to only 0.5 seconds per number.
Since then, Shukla has dedicated several hours every day to practicing mental arithmetic, striving for perfection. Recently, he was invited to Dubai in the Middle East to challenge more Guinness World Records related to mental calculation, and in a single day, he broke the following 6 records:
• Fastest time to mentally add 100 four-digit numbers – 30.9 seconds.
• Fastest time to mentally add 200 four-digit numbers – 1 minute 9.68 seconds.
• Fastest time to mentally add 50 five-digit numbers – 18.71 seconds.
• Fastest time to mentally divide a twenty-digit number by a ten-digit number (group of 10) – 5 minutes 42 seconds.
• Fastest time to mentally multiply 2 five-digit numbers (group of 10) – 51.69 seconds.
• Fastest time to mentally multiply 2 eight-digit numbers (group of 10) – 2 minutes 35.41 seconds.
When asked how he managed to accomplish so many mental calculations in such a short time, Shukla told the Guinness World Records website, “Many things happen in a flash in mental arithmetic, so I can’t say what happens in my brain… I just do it naturally. Basically, it’s too fast, you can’t think, you just have to calculate.”
Speaking about his daily life, Shukla mentioned that daily practice is crucial for competition preparation, hence he practices for about 5 to 6 hours every day.
Apart from practicing mental arithmetic, Shukla also has to manage his school studies, making him quite busy. He believes that relaxation is essential for balance, and meditation helps him stay calm and focused.
Furthermore, he enjoys reading, playing video games, playing cricket, and traveling. His favorite books are of the adventure and mystery genres.
Shukla’s mother mentioned that they noticed his arithmetic talent at an early age, as he excelled in numbers from a young age and started practicing mental arithmetic at the age of 6 with excellent results. By the age of 8, he participated in international competitions, won several awards, and eventually became a world champion.
When asked if he worries about Shukla having such a unique ability at such a young age, his father replied that Shukla loves numbers and mental calculations, so as parents, they ensure he doesn’t have too much burden or pressure while practicing.
His father stated, “But as a world champion and record holder now, he also has to take on some responsibilities. So, it’s about balancing his age and responsibilities.”
Surprisingly, Shukla’s exceptional calculating abilities are not hereditary in the family. His father added that they are an ordinary family, not a family of mental calculators, making Shukla a rare exception.