A youngster from Wokingham, Aadya Kumar, has received the Shakuntala Devi Mantri Exceptional Award at the Inspire Awards 2025, hosted in the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
Six-year-old Aayda, who attends Walter Infant School in Wokingham, won an award for Outstanding Achievement in any field. The name of the award is an homage to two women who were an inspiration to award organiser Dr Rashmi Mantri’s – one being Ms Shakuntala Devi, who is a famous Indian mathematician, and the other being Dr Mantri’s late mother.
Aayda joined 22 other inspirational young achievers from across the UK in receiving recognition at the packed awards ceremony, which had a palpable buzz as families, community leaders, and educators gathered to celebrate the nation’s brightest rising stars.
Hosted by the British Youth International College (BYITC), the event brought together families, educators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and dignitaries, with Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP serving as Chief Guest of Honour and Sponsor. Also in attendance was Anas Sarwar MSP, leader of the Scottish Labour party.
Dr Rashmi Mantri, founder of BYITC, said the atmosphere in the room was electric: “At just six years old, Aadya has mastered advanced maths concepts, performing complex calculations entirely in her mind within seconds. Her exceptional talent earned her a spot in Britain’s Got Talent recording round and recognition as one of the youngest Level 9 abacus achievers at BYITC.
“There was a real buzz on the night – pride, joy, and celebration filled the chamber. Our young winners have shown talent, perseverance, and creativity beyond their years, while our business leaders demonstrated vision and innovation that inspire future generations. Together, they represent the very best of what Scotland, and the UK, has to offer.”
Aayda’s parents said: “Aadya’s journey with BYITC has been amazing so far. She has grown so much intellectually and her confidence also has received a tremendous boost. This exceptional win will surely add up to her portfolio and inspire her to do more in the future.”
2025 Inspire Awards – Children’s Winners:
Academics
Stem Wizard: Kanav Jain (15, Edinburgh)
Rising Mental Maths Star: Atchaya Venugopal (9, Basingstoke)
Maths Grandmaster: Alden Arun (12, Edinburgh)
Mental Maths Superhero: Hansini Haripriya Chilakapati (9, Glasgow)
Sports
Sports Icon: Ekamkar Singh (10, Chadwell Heath)
Sports Superstar: Maaran Thandvan Mariappan (6, Nottinghamshire)
Rising Chess Master: Advik Mittal (11, Glasgow)
Cultural & Social
Star Performer: Nishad Mehendale (12, London)
Shining Rockstar: Shraddha Harinarayanan (14, Slough)
Environment Crusader: Saanvi Anand (14, Hamilton, Glasgow)
Budding Author: Sai Nimeesha Maddi (13, Altrincham, Manchester)
Art & Creativity
Budding Artist: Varnika Nuguri (8, Birmingham)
All Rounder
Young Intellect: Chinemenma Okorie (17, Livingston, West Lothian)
Fearless Achiever: Diah Patel (14, Birmingham)
Supernova: Venisha Valluri (8, Newcastle)
Versatile Champion: Lishaan Mayurathan (10, Middlesbrough)
PowerPlay Performer: Jocelyn Dixon (11, Scarborough)
Dynamic Achiever: Arush Gosain (14, Livingston, West Lothian)
Rising Marvel – Young Author: Kenisha Jain (14, West Calder)
Rising Prodigy: Tarun Vusikala (15, Glasgow)
Wonderkid: Eivaan Lamba (9, Jersey, Channel Islands)
Special Awards
Trailblazer Apprentice: Olivia Dougal (18, North Ayrshire/Glasgow)
Shakuntala Devi Mantri Exceptional Award: Aadya Kumar (6, Wokingham)
2025 Inspire Awards – Business Excellence Winners:
Artistic Visionary of the Year: Tanwi Bhattacharya, Nikkan Dance Academy (Edinburgh) – Dance
Innovation Hero: Krishna Yerra, MillionLogics (London) – IT Industry
Icon of Influence: Sarica (Knowledge Buddy), Knowledge Buddy (London) – Media & PR
Dynamic Leader of the Year: Rishi Harani, Mergify (London) – Financial Advisory
Brilliant Brandmakers: Ali Malik, Awaz FM (Glasgow) – Media & PR
Dr Mantri added: “This year’s Inspire Awards proved that excellence has no age limit. From our youngest winner, just six years old, to our established business leaders, each story we heard was remarkable. These awards are about celebrating achievement, yes, but also about inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and aim higher.”
The Inspire Awards 2025 highlighted not only the incredible achievements of individuals but also the growing spirit of community, innovation, and leadership across the UK.
The judges were: Barry Gunn, lecturer at Clyde College; and Derek Timpany, Associate Dean: Business & Management, City of Glasgow College.
Supporters and sponsors of the event included: Whitebridge Financial Services, Masala Twist, Oakminster Care Homes; and ScottishIndian.com.
