Mid-brain wonders of 11-year-old prodigy

CHENNAI: Though not explored in depth, many of us have come across the mid-brain activation technique in Vishal and Arya’s movie Enemy (2021). It is about harnessing our extraordinary ability to utilise our brain to its fullest potential and enhance our focus and memory power. Following this, Samrithika Suresh Kumar, an 11-year-old prodigy, has achieved six world records using the mid-brain activation technique.

While many at her age might be busy solving basic algebra in their mathematics book, colourful Rubik’s cubes that truly define her world. This young girl demonstrates a spark of imagination and perseverance that belies her age. “To improve my memory power and focus, my parents enrolled me in the mid-brain activation course at the age of three. Since then, my life has completely changed,” begins Samrithika, who is all of 11 years old. Her first record was in 2019, when she recognised the colours of 100 objects within three minutes while blindfolded. That is where she took her motivation from. “I started venturing into solving Rubik’s cubes blindfolded and also finding the serial numbers of currency notes. I credit all my achievements to my parents, Suresh Kumar and Shakthi Priya, and Agila ma’am,” she says.

Speaking to DT Next, Samrithika’s mother, Shakthi Priya, shares, “We are elated to be recognised as Samrithika’s parents rather than the other way around. The proudest moment was when we three were invited to a school as chief guests and saw my daughter on the stage amid the applause. Samrithika strikes a fine balance between her studies and extra-curricular activities. So, there was no need for us to intervene in her process. Her father is the pillar of support as he strives hard to assist her journey.”

Notably, Samrithika’s groundbreaking records include colouring flags of 85 countries, solving 343 Rubik’s cubes, and creating a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi on August 30, earning the best female cuber award at the Pragyan Cube Open 2025 and many more, all while blindfolded. “Though the initial stages were quite challenging, I was fascinated by the process and the outcome of the technique. That drives me to create more records,” she states with an innocent smile. The prodigy also created portraits of APJ Abdul Kalam, Ratan Tata, and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, among others.

An unforgettable moment in Samrithika’s life was when she was praised by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for her skills.

Agilandeswari, a soft-skills trainer and founder of Happy Kids Academy, is the backbone behind Samrithika’s achievements. Breaking the myths surrounding mid-brain activation, she explains, “People believe that mid-brain activation is only possible in children with special skills. But that’s completely false. It is all about exploring the hidden skills in children and stimulating mid-brain activities.”

As Samrithika was introduced to Agilandeswari at a very young age, she stands out from the rest of the crowd. “The stimulation started for her at the age of three. That’s why she can grasp things quickly and quite effectively. In simple terms, mid-brain activation involves stimulating the parts of the brain that play a significant role in developing intrinsic skills. This makes them more creative and inquisitive. We are all trained to use our right hand more than our left. This results in the inertness of many brain activities.”

Through this technique, using warm-up exercises, hand gym, and meditation, photographic memory can be developed. “During this process, we instruct children to avoid using mobile phones. On the other hand, mid-brain activation also aids in personality development,” the educator adds.

In today’s world, staying away from digital devices is quite impossible. If children are kept away, they risk feeling left out and isolated from their peers. To bridge that gap, Agila suggests, “Regular interaction with parents is essential. If a child is not studying, instead of enrolling them in tuition, we need to find and address the root cause. Better bonding with parents is key, as it keeps children engaged and away from mobile phones.”

Brimming with confidence, Samrithika is preparing to carve her name into the Asian Book of Records. “Apart from my goal to create more records in the coming days and explore my skills more deeply, I wish to become a doctor and help people in the future. That smile of gratitude from the patients is very precious,” she hopes.