LOK ISSUES

Sushma Varma: India's youngest M.Sc holder at 15

By LokMarg 17th February 2017

BY GORKY BAKSHI

When children struggle to get admission in school at the age of 5, Sushma was entering in 9th standard. She is India’s child prodigy who has completed her M.SC at age of 15. Sushma Varma a resident of village Bargawan at district Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Sushma has been a brilliant child and her talent got recognised when she was just two years old. Today she is 17 and planning to pursue PHD in microbiology. Sushma would be youngest Indian who will get admission in microbiology PHD. Her father is a sanitation worker in the same University where she was pursuing M.Sc.

Sushma Varma’s Bio-

About Sushma Varma

At the age of four, her class teacher asked her to read something from the text book. She stood up and clearly recited Ramayana, which she had heard a night before. Class teacher was surprised and asked her to read something from the text book.

She just wanted to clarify what she has heard from Sushma was not a day dream. But, much to the surprise of the teachers, Sushma again read clearly like a teenage student. Teachers gave her some mathematics questions, and asked her some chemistry formulas and few other tricky questions which Sushma solved within few seconds.

Now her teachers were impressed and recognised her talent. As per her IQ, the school decided to admit Sushma in class IX. Sushma’s father Tej Bahadur said: “Four years ago I was working as a daily wages labourer in Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (Central) University. When Sushma cleared her inter school she got admission in the same college where I was working as a labour.” “My daughter is brilliant and her talent couldn’t hide even in this college.

When teachers found that I worked as a daily wage labour they offered me a job of permanent sanitation worker in the college. I am proud of her and feel blessed because of my daughter,” Tej Bahadur said excitedly. According to him, Dr R V Sobti, the Vice-Chancellor of Sushma’s college helped him secure the job in the college campus, so that he could support his talented daughter.

Recognition

Her brilliance does not just shine in India, but she was invited for an IQ test in Japan where she competed with 35 other students of her age and stood first. Because of her financial condition, Sushma was also given a grant of Rs. 8 Lakh by Sulabh’s chief Dr Bindeshwari Pathak for her higher education. When she was seven, she got listed in the Limca Book of Records for being the ‘youngest student’ to clear class 10th exams.

Sushma is not the only prodigy of her family. Her brother is equally talented as he completed his BCA at the age of 14. He became youngest student to complete science degree at this age. Apart from this, her younger sister, three years old, can already read poems written for graduate level students.

Future Plan

Regarding her future plans, Sushma says: “I now want to pursue PhD, perhaps in agricultural microbiology. During our field visits, we realised that the soil in and around Lucknow is becoming more arid by the day, so I would like to try and find out a way to make the city greener.”

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