3-yr-old in UAE can identify 195 countries by their flags

Abu Dhabi - Advit Golechha has secured a spot in the India Book of Records.

By Nandini Sircar

Published: Sun 22 Nov 2020, 2:15 PM

Last updated: Sun 22 Nov 2020, 2:32 PM

This three-year-old Abu Dhabi resident is the youngest in the world to identify 195 countries and their capitals by their flags. Advit Golechha has secured a spot in the India Book of Records.

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Advit had been to a play school for only a month when education institutes across the country were closed as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19.

His mother, Shweta, said: “During the stay-at-home period, I started showing him pictures of my family members. We have a big family back home. He was good at identifying everyone and learned very quickly.

“Then I started teaching him car names and he could soon identify 40 types of cars. Then I proceeded to famous personalities like His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan; cricketing legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli; singers Lata Mangeshkar and Justin Bieber; and many others. In no time he picked that up, too.”

The Indian expat from Hyderabad then introduced continents and countries to the toddler. “The whole process took around three months, but it was worth it. I really had to be patient at times as his attention span would only last for 15 minutes at a time and then he would refuse to concentrate.

“I also started looking up for record books that do not put a time cap while listing. Toddlers often do things at their own pace and, fortunately, I found the India Book of Records.”

Advit, who is now a proud owner of a certificate, medal, badge and a golden pen, smiles with glee every time someone congratulates him.

“He doesn’t understand what he has achieved, but he especially loves the pen and grins from ear to ear whenever somebody wishes him for his accomplishment,” added Shweta.

Earlier, Dubai-based 5-year-old Praanvi Gupta had found a place in the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records for her ability to list 195 UN-recognised countries and their capitals in just 4 minutes and 23 seconds.

nandini@khaleejtimes.com