The recent visit of All India Congress Committee General Secretary Rahul Gandhi to south Tamil Nadu saw a new trend in politics with high-profile party leaders, industrialists and even the media being denied an audience.
If at all, he met any one, it was the youth and children whom he believes to have the calibre to lead the nation. One such talented child who was granted an appointment was M. Lavinashree, a nine-year-old Madurai girl. She spent a good half-an-hour with scion of the Congress party in Madurai on Wednesday.
Her father K. Munisamy said that she explained her numerous achievements which had earned her, among other encomiums, an 'Asset for the nation' certificate from President Pratibha Patil in February. Apart from becoming the youngest to pass the Microsoft Certified Professional Course at age eight, she also set another new record by passing the Microsoft Windows 2003 Environment Prometric Examination in June 2009.
Ms. Lavinashree, who had recited all the 1,330 couplets of the Tirukkural at the age of three and made it to the Limca Book of World Records by age six, won the 'National Child Award for Exceptional Achievement' of the Union Government in 2006.
This Standard V girl from Lakshmi School (ICSE) has been listed as a 'child prodigy' by Wikipedia, the web-based encyclopaedia. Her achievements have been recognised by a host of dignitaries from Prime Minster Manmohan Singh, former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunandhi, all of whom had granted her personal appointments.
