The Wonder boy of Australia: Anirudh Kathirvel

By-Nidhi Kumari

He’s hardly ten and at an age so young, Anirudh has mastered the world of words. The winner of ‘The Great Australian Selling Bee 2015’, Anirudh is a household name and an inspiration for many. His positive attitude, confident stature and high ambitions to change the world for the better are commendable.

Indus Age caught up with the best speller of Australia, Anirudh Kathirvel for an interview where he gets chatty about his inspiration, his love for reading, his future plans and a lot more. Excerpts:

  1. You stand today as the ‘Best Speller of Australia’, how does all this feel?

I just can’t explain it in words. I feel very happy not just because I won the title, but because I have inspired a lot of kids, at the same time challenging myself to do better and learn more.

  1. anirudhIf I had to ask you about your life before winning, ‘The Great Australian Spelling Bee’ and after it, your answer would be? 

Well, my routines are the same with school and homework. But I do get a lot of recognition among the public. Before winning, the name Anirudh was really hard to pronounce and people used to call me by some weird nicknames like Ruddy. But after winning the title, Anirudh has become a household name.

  1. Learning, understanding and identifying end number of words at such a young age is incredible. Tell us how it all started.

I started reading from a very early age. My love for reading creaked out my interest in spelling. Then I started attending the local spelling competitions from Grade 1.

  1. You are an expert and a knowledgeable person in the world of words and meanings. What advice do you have for children wanting to master this world of words and meanings?

Not only spelling, but if you have a passion for anything, let your passion drive your hard work. Reading everyday and expanding your vocabulary is the key to become a successful speller.

  1. Who do you look up to, who is your inspiration?

I look up to Stephen Hawking especially after reading his autobiography, “My Brief History”. I realised the sky is not the limit. There is no such thing as a limit. Once you set your goal and just focus, you can do it. It doesn’t matter if the hurdle is high, it’s how strong your jumping force is.

  1. If I had to ask you, a thing you like doing and a thing you dislike doing, what would your answer be?

I Love Reading! If I could, I would read all the time. My favourite genre is comedy action/adventure. I Hate Eating Raw Tomatoes! It tastes so sweet and disgusting.

  1. What do you want to become when you grow up?

I want to become a neuroscientist and find answers for many devastating brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.

  1. Is there anything in this world that you want to change?

If I could change anything in this world, it would be to get rid of poverty and war. It would be great for everybody in this world to be friendly for no one to be poor and lonely.

  1. What are your future plans?

My future plans are to keep improving in spelling. I am working towards my future goal of becoming a neuroscientist. I am currently enrolled in a neuroscience course through Harvard University.
 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.