Born in 1995 in Hyderabad, Telangana, Nischal Narayanam is India's youngest Chartered Accountant and the world's youngest Double Guinness World Record holder in memory. A certified child prodigy, Nischal was awarded the National Child Award by the former President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Azad at 11.
Nischal’s journey with mathematics began at the early age of 9 when he spotted a calculation error in an accounting book of his father. His mother, Dr. Padmavathy, recognized his natural affinity for numbers and problem-solving and nurtured his talents. By the age of nine, Nischal had already made a name for himself in the world of mathematics, earning the prestigious title of 'Ganitavadhani' by performing the intricate 'Ganitha Ashtavadhanam' in Mathematics, a rare feat involving 108 answer seekers.
While in 5th grade, Nischal encountered his friends unable to grasp the concept of geometry being taught on the blackboard as the 3D nature of geometric figures makes it difficult to visualize geometry on a 2D blackboard. The institution did not have any equipment that could help learning such concepts of mathematics easier. Hence, to solve this issue, he established India’s first mathematics lab at the age of 10. His idea of “learning by doing” propagated his visionary goal to design a math lab that paralleled the significance of science labs. For this initiative, he was awarded the National Child Award (Gold Medal) at the age of 11 by the Late President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Azad, the highest honour given to an Indian child every year by the President of India. According to Nischal, the interaction with Dr. Kalam changed his perspective towards education. He recalls the moment when Dr. Kalam asked him, “How many times have you revolved around the sun?” to which Nischal answered 11. This question emphasised the real-life implications of education.