I'm 8 years old, but I've already won an international maths competition
A Newcastle eight year old has won an international mathematics competition.
Venisha Valluri, aged 8, who attends Bailey Green Primary School, was named the the Level 4 winner at the International Annual Maths Olympiad in Scotland.
Taking place in late September, the event welcomed the planet’s top child geniuses to the north of the border.
The event is organised and run by the British Youth International College (BYITC).
The first-of-its-kind online challenge is based on BYITC’s pioneering Abacus Maths programme, with 50 questions in total to be answered within one hour, and results based on accuracy and timely completion. Youngsters log into BYITC’s Zoom platform and take level-appropriate exams in front of invigilators.
Students used concepts like finger, Abacus, and Mental theory. The top performers across each of eleven levels of BYITC Supermaths training were awarded certificates and prizes for their impressive arithmetic skills.
Venisha’s parents, Venkatesh Valluri & Indu Valluri, said: “BYITC’s approach to learning is incredible! The mix of fun activities, interactive sessions, and personalized attention keeps my child engaged and eager to learn every day.”
BYITC’s Founder, Dr Rashmi Mantri, added: “Congratulations to each of the winners. Every child who took part deserves enormous credit as we can tell they gave it their best shot and worked very hard.
“It’s been a special year for Venisha as she has won two other awards this year with us – firstly, she was the proud winner of the ‘Science Around Us’ photo contest to celebrate British Science Week in March 2025, and just a few weeks ago she was awarded Supernova Award winner at the Inspire Awards 2025, hosted in the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.
“Since we launched the Challenge, we have been had more than 100 winners which is a great achievement. The success of our Olympiads and others, such as the Scottish Maths Challenge, reflect the educational value of such kinds of Olympiads, while the sheer scale of entries from across the globe is very satisfying and give us confidence that there is a huge hunger out there for learning more about, and getting lots of fun from, playing with, numbers.”