Reading a long story can be challenging for young children. However, a four-year-old boy from Bengaluru, Karnataka, has earned a place in the India Book of Records after reading 1,676 English words from a storybook chapter in less than 27 minutes.
Atharva read a chapter titled ‘A Send-off Party’ from The Magic of the Lost Temple, an English storybook written by author Sudha Murty, according to the India Book of Records website. The young reader selected a chapter from The Magic of the Lost Temple, written by Sudha Murty. His achievement has been listed under the category ‘Maximum English words read from a story book by a kid’. The record entry mentions the exact time taken by him to complete the reading, including milliseconds. The organisation has documented his achievement as a reading record by a child. It does not mention whether he received any special training or how he prepared for the attempt. The book tells a story centred on a young girl and her experiences. It does not claim that he read the entire book.
Atharva Kirti Sagar completed the reading in 26 minutes, 49 seconds and 76 milliseconds. His achievement was officially recognised on September 7, 2026, when he was four years, 11 months and 10 days old. Atharva read 1,676 words from a single chapter of the book. The record specifically recognises Atharva for reading 1,676 words from the chapter ‘A Send-off Party’. Born on September 28, 2021, Atharva was recognised in the India Book of Records’ Young Achievers category for his reading accomplishment.
