Over 1,200 children take part in SIP Regional Prodigy 2026 competition
Over 1,200 children participated in the SIP Regional Prodigy 2026 mental arithmetic competition in Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh. The event emphasized the importance of cognitive skills and mental math in the age of artificial intelligence.
Why it matters
The competition highlights the growing focus on supplemental education and cognitive development programs for children in India.
Over 1,200 children aged between 5 and 14 years showcased their mental arithmetic skills at the SIP Regional Prodigy 2026 — one of India’s largest mental arithmetic competitions for children — at CK Conventions in Mangalagiri on Sunday.
The competition was inaugurated by AIIMS Mangalagiri Director Col. Shashikanth Thumma in the presence of SIP Academy India director Sibi Sekhar, New Franchisee Acquisition head Uma Swaminathan; Regional Business head – South and International Acquisition head Praveen E.G., and Andhra Pradesh head Jabeer Baig.
Addressing the gathering, Col. Shashikanth Thumma described the participants as ‘live supercomputers’. “You are human calculators, solving problems faster than calculators. This programme develops skills to solve not only mathematics problems but also life’s challenges,” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Sibi Sekhar said that mental arithmetic was more relevant in the artificial intelligence (AI) era than ever before.
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