Young Hero of the Year, sponsored by Maison Estate Agency, winner: Aadya Kumar
A youngster from Wokingham, Aadya Kumar, was given the Young Hero of the Year Award, sponsored by Maison Estate Agency.
It comes after Aadya received the Shakuntala Devi Mantri Exceptional Award at the Inspire Awards 2025, hosted in the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Six-year-old Aayda, who attends Walter Infant School in Wokingham, won the award for Outstanding Achievement in any field.
She was given the award in recognition of her mathematical skill, which earned her a place as one of the youngest achievers of the Level 9 Abacus at the British Youth International College.
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.
Ahead of the awards, Aayda’s parents Richa and Vikash 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.”
After receiving the award, Aadya said that she felt “proud”, and mum Richa said: “It’s such a proud moment for us, especially with her being at such a young age.
“It feels like all of our hard work and effort we’ve put in had been fruitful.”
