Mental arithmetic builds skills for life: AIIMS Director

Mangalagiri: More than 1,200 children aged between 5 and 14 years displayed remarkable speed, accuracy and concentration at SIP Regional Prodigy 2026, one of India’s largest mental arithmetic competitions for children, held here on Sunday.

The competition was inaugurated by Col Shashikanth Thumma, director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences. SIP Academy India Director Sibi Sekhar, Head of New Franchisee Acquisition Uma Swaminathan, Regional Business Head–South and Head of International Acquisition Praveen EG, and AP State Head Jabeer Baig were present.

Addressing the participants, Col Thumma described the children as “live supercomputers” and praised their extraordinary ability to solve arithmetic problems faster than calculators. SIP Academy India Director Sibi Sekhar highlighted the growing relevance of mental arithmetic in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

He said SIP Academy currently operates more than 1,100 centres across India, training nearly 1.9 lakh students. Over the next three years, the organisation plans to expand to 2,000 centres and increase enrolment to 3 lakh children while strengthening its international presence.

Speaking on the occasion, Uma Swaminathan said Andhra Pradesh remains one of the academy’s priority markets. The organisation currently operates 25 centres in the state and aims to double the number to 50 in the coming years.

The regional championship serves as the qualifying event for the National SIP Prodigy 2026. Contestants were evaluated in mental arithmetic, abacus calculations, multiplication, division, visual arithmetic, speed and accuracy through a series of timed challenges. In some categories, students solved up to 300 arithmetic problems in just 11 minutes. The Andhra Pradesh winners will advance to the National SIP Prodigy 2026 finals to be held in Kochi this November.

Jabeer Baig, State Head for Andhra Pradesh, said nearly 7,000 children are currently undergoing SIP Abacus training through centres located in Vijayawada, Guntur, Mangalagiri, Tirupati, Chittoor, Anantapur, Hindupur, Kadiri, Tadepalli, Tadepalligudem, Rajahmundry and Kakinada.