Nine year old ready for college

Hyderabad : Naina is one of the 1.7 million-odd students appearing for the Board of Intermediate Examinations currently under way in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

But she is unlike any other. Just nine years old, the multi-talented prodigious child is making history by being the youngest student to write the junior college examinations.

Daughter of a teacher, Naina is the focus of attention in the Sultanul Uloom college in Hyderabad, where she is writing her exam, giving goose pimples to much older students.

In fact Naina has already created a record when she passed the secondary school examination at 8. She cleared the General Certificate of Secondary Education Examination or "O" level of Cambridge University and had to take special permission from the Board of Intermediate to write the junior college exam.

"Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav uncle helped me a lot in this," she says with a smile. Unruffled by the stress of examinations, Naina is facing the media glare without any problem as she gives credit to her parents for her astounding talent. "I am not overawed by examinations or studies. My parents never force me to study but I devote my equal time to studies and entertainment including playing and music." Naina studies in St Mary's college in Yusufguda area where the teachers were all praise for her.

Naina's father Ashwini says he realised the extraordinary talent of the girl when she was 5 years old. Ashwini said that he initially taught her the languages of English, Telugu and Hindi which helped her in grasping any subject. "Since then she has been doing very well." She has played table tennis at the national level and has recorded an album of hymns. She can write with both hands. "I want to become an Indian Administrative Service officer and serve the nation," Naina says. "But I also want to play table tennis in Olympics." For now, all are awaiting Naina's junior college exams scorecard.