It’s a Guinness World Record for Perak girl with a remarkable gift

 

Ten-year-old Punithamalar Rajashekar’s rare gift recently earned her a Guinness World Record. (Fauzi Yunus @ FMT Lifestyle)

PETALING JAYA: There are very few moments in life that prompt one to wonder: “Is this real or is it magic?” But one young Malaysian’s name has recently been making waves across social media for this very reason.

On May 19, Punithamalar Rajashekar attempted the Guinness World Record for the fastest time to arrange the pieces on a chessboard while blindfolded.

Arranging 32 chess pieces may seem daunting, especially considering the previous world record of 1.02 minutes held by a boy from India. But this 10-year-old pulled it off in an impressive 45.72 seconds, clinching her the title.

 

And recently, after months of anticipation, the good news officially arrived in the mail, ushering in a flood of congratulatory messages and newfound fame for Punithamalar.

Now, you might assume her feat was the result of months of intensive training, familiarising herself with the feel of the chess pieces and arranging them by touch. But you would be mistaken.

By all accounts, Punithamalar’s title is thanks to an extraordinary gift she claims to possess: the ability to “see” what’s in front of her, even with her eyes shut or blindfolded!

As she said of her attempt: “It wasn’t difficult because I felt it was the same as completing the task without a blindfold. Just like how everyone sees with their eyes open, I can see the same things even with my eyes closed.”

Punithamalar claims to see even when blindfolded, and identified the serial numbers on a ringgit note as proof. (Fauzi Yunus @ FMT Lifestyle)

FMT Lifestyle is aware of how this sounds – it’s the sort of thing that would make people say “how on earth is that possible?” and chuckle in incredulity.

But the girl’s achievements are no laughing matter: she has also earned the title of 2nd runner-up in Malaysia’s “Kids Got Talent” this year, qualifying her to audition for Season 19 of “America’s Got Talent”.

Punithamalar discovered what her family refers to as her “third eye” in late 2022, following a four-month yoga and brain gym course. “We participated in several activities and one of them included a blindfolded task,” she recalled.

That was when she realised that, unlike other children, she could see what they couldn’t.

To witness her remarkable gift up close, FMT Lifestyle recently met with Punithamalar and her father, Rajashekar Kuberan, at her school, SJK (T) Menglembu, the very place where the record-breaking event took place.

“I’ll be honest, initially, I didn’t believe her myself,” Rajashekar said, admitting that he and his wife had been taken aback, and even frightened, by her ability.

Proud dad Rajashekar Kuberan was initially apprehensive of his daughter’s remarkable talent. (Fauzi Yunus @ FMT Lifestyle)

He added that, to add an extra layer of credibility, they opted for the Guinness World Records because of its stringent rules and thorough verification process, leaving little to no room for doubt.

Punithamalar’s gift is not limited to arranging chess pieces: FMT Lifestyle was able to witness her identifying words written on a piece of paper; reading the serial number of a banknote; flipping to the page number of a book as indicated; and mimicking this writer’s gestures from afar – all while blindfolded!

So, what exactly does she see?

According to her father, “when she closes her eyes, she can see what’s in front of her, but within a narrow, limited field”. That’s why you’ll often see her turning her head while performing tasks blindfolded.

While the origins of her gift remain a mystery, Rajashekar believes it could be attributed to Punithamalar’s strict practices.

“She wakes up every morning around 5am to do yoga and meditate. We’re aware of a yogi in India who has this very talent, so this is our best guess,” he explained.

Punithamalar’s journey doesn’t end here, as she now prepares to audition for ‘America’s Got Talent’. (Fauzi Yunus @ FMT Lifestyle)

Both father and daughter are grateful for the school’s support and encouragement for the world record.

“On the day of the attempt, everyone at school gathered to cheer me on, and it felt like a celebration. I believe that’s why I was able to achieve my fastest time on the big day,” Punithamalar said warmly.

And her journey is far from over, as she is now preparing for her “America’s Got Talent” audition next month.

So, whether you believe it or not, this small-town girl’s achievements are proof that Malaysia has its share of impressive – if downright amazing – individuals eager to leave their mark on the world. - FMT