Education
Akrit’s journey did not stop there. At just 12 years old, he became the youngest student at an Indian university, enrolling in Chandigarh College to pursue a degree in science
Updated : Aug 21, 2024, 06:30 AM IST
In the quiet town of Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh, a boy would soon shock the world with an unprecedented medical feat. At just seven years old, Akrit Pran Jaswal performed his first surgery, leaving everyone who heard the story questioning its truth. Was this the tale of a child prodigy, or merely a legend in the making?
Akrit’s journey began almost as soon as he could walk. By ten months, he had already mastered walking and speaking, setting the stage for what was to come. At the tender age of two, while most children were just beginning to understand their surroundings, Akrit was reading and writing with the proficiency of someone many years his senior. By the age of five, his reading list included English classics that even adults find challenging. His intelligence, with an IQ of 146 at age 12, was unmatched by any other child in the country.
But it was in 2000, when he was just seven years old, that Akrit truly made history. A neighbour in Nurpur, who had suffered severe burns, desperately needed surgery on her hand—a procedure that no one in the local medical community was willing to undertake. Enter Akrit Pran Jaswal, a child with an understanding of medicine far beyond his years. With a steady hand and a clear mind, Akrit successfully performed the one-hour surgery, amazing both medical professionals and the general public alike.
This remarkable achievement caught the attention of the media and medical communities worldwide. It wasn’t long before Akrit was recognized as the world’s youngest surgeon, a title that would follow him throughout his life. His story was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show, bringing his extraordinary abilities to an international audience.
Akrit’s journey did not stop there. At just 12 years old, he became the youngest student at an Indian university, enrolling in Chandigarh College to pursue a degree in science. His passion for learning and dedication to research led him to the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, where he is currently pursuing a master’s degree in bioengineering at the age of 23. His ultimate goal? To find a cure for cancer—a mission he continues to work on with the same zeal that guided him through his earlier achievements.
Today, Akrit Pran Jaswal is more than just a prodigy; he is a symbol of the potential within every child. His journey serves as a testament to the heights that can be reached with passion, determination, and an sustainable belief in one’s abilities. The boy who became a surgeon at seven is now on a path to making groundbreaking contributions to the field of medicine, proving that age is but a number when it comes to talent and genius.