Magical numbers

Minna Zutshi zeroes in on a mathematical wizard

Loveleen Singhal. — Photo: S.S. Chopra

Just 13. And, already a record holder in the Limca Book of Records. Well, Loveleen Singhal from Dayanand Model School, Model Town, Jalandhar, has a way with numbers.

It is a matter of seconds for him to multiply any two-digit number with another two-digit number. Also, he can multiply any four-digit number up to 5000 with a single-digit number in a few seconds.

He simply loves to play with numbers. No, mathematics has never overawed him. It has been his much-loved subject.

"I have some kind of affinity with numbers. They seem to lend themselves to calculations with ease the moment I hear them," he says in a mix of Hindi and English.

Fun quotient

"It’s not that the whole day I am practising mathematical calculations, though I would love to do so if there were no other competing interests," he says, breaking into a smile.

Like any other teenager, he has a variety of interests. Cricket, basketball, card-playing – all keep him busy. And, he just can’t have enough of computer games. Of course, that’s when Bollywood movies starring Aamir Khan and Sunjay Dutt aren’t showing in theatres, and the Great Indian Laughter Show isn’t on air!

Though his exposure to books and literature is limited, he likes to read Rabindranath Tagore, particularly if Tagore is part of the curriculum.

Brush with fame

Unlike most kids with celebrity status, he does not mouth platitudes. Neither does he present himself as a miniature adult with well-rehearsed responses.

Rather shy and sometimes hesitant, he takes more time to answer questions about himself than to do calculations.

Does he find it tough to handle media attention? "No, I rather like it. It seems so good," he says as a matter of fact.

One of his best days was when he went for the shooting of Shabash India. It was a new experience for him, and he relished each bit of it. "When the audience was told about my mathematical ability, they were surprised that I was only 13," he remarks.

Dreams unlimited

Not surprisingly, his dreams are calculation-centric. He wants to do more number crunching! "I want to improve my own record manifolds," he volunteers.

Aspiring to be an engineer, he has yet another dream – to see his sister become a connoisseur of calculations. "My younger sister has a flair for learning multiplication tables. Though she’s hardly 10, she knows verbatim tables up to 25."

His gratitude-list is fairly long. It includes God, parents, teachers, school, relatives and friends. "My parents tell me that my facility with numbers is God’s gift. I agree with them. My teachers say that I must keep honing my skills," he explains.

As if to remind us that he’s a teenager, albeit a record holder, he reveals shyly that he has yet another dream. And that’s to meet Kajol, his favourite actress!

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