Belgaum-born 13-year-old Keshav Iyengar, brought up in Cheam in London, has recorded the highest possible score (162 on 162) in the recently held Cattell III B Intelligent Quotient (IQ) test.
The test is recognised by Mensa, the high IQ society, with members in more than 100 countries in the world. His outstanding performance has people comparing him to the likes of Einstein and Hawking.
“Keshav is a normal boy with the highest IQ but comparing him with great scientists like Einstein or Hawking is a bit embarrassing,” said his mother Jyothi Iyengar in an exclusive telephonic interview with Express.
Jyothi holds a doctorate in Aeronautical Science and her husband, Balaji Srinivasan Iyengar is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Balaji’s passion for math challenges, physics and IQ have been instrumental in Keshav’s success. Keshav is said to have appeared for the test without any prior preparations, said Jyothi.
She said that Keshav had passed at-least four grammar school exams two years ago. It is difficult to choose a school as all four offered him an admission, she said.
“Keshav has an incredible memory for mobile numbers and seems to remember even insignificant things in detail,” she said. Keshav is also interested in Western classical music and his home is awalys abuzz with classical, pop, rock, jazz, Hindustani and Carnatic tunes.
According to her, Keshav is a millennium child made for technology and is occupied in tinkering with gadgets. “I try to instil in him my fondness for nature and its beauty and that he is only a speck that is melting into nature herself,” she said.
Jyothi said Keshav has passed piano exams and was on III grade when he discontinued lessons. “He enjoys Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata and Mozart Alla Turca and hums it to perfection.”