Bengaluru's 4-year-old reads 1,676 words in 27 minutes, enters two record books

Four-year-old Atharva Kirti Sagar read 1,676 words from a storybook chapter in under 27 minutes. The Bengaluru child's feat earned recognition from the India and Asia Book of Records.Four-year-old Atharva Kirti Sagar read 1,676 words from a storybook chapter in under 27 minutes. (Photo: (l) indiabookofrecords, (r) asiabookofrecords))New Delhi,Nov 5, 2026 12:31 ISTAt four, reading a storybook chapter of more than 1,600 words may seem like a task that calls for patience and practice. Atharva Kirti Sagar, a child from Bengaluru, Karnataka, has done just that — reading 1,676 English words in less than 27 minutes.The achievement has earned him recognition from two record organisations: the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records. Both have listed him for reading the maximum number of English words from a storybook by a child.According to the India Book of Records, Atharva completed the reading on September 7, 2026, when he was four years, 11 months and 10 days old. The Asia Book of Records confirmed the achievement on September 10.A CHAPTER, 1,676 WORDS AND ONE READING ATTEMPTAtharva read the chapter 'A Send-off Party' from The Magic of the Lost Temple, an English storybook written by author Sudha Murty. He finished the 1,676 words in 26 minutes, 49 seconds and 76 milliseconds. The reading challenge is listed under the category 'Maximum English words read from a story book by a kid' on both organisations' websites.TWO RECORD BOOKS, THE SAME READING FEATThe two recognitions make the achievement notable: Atharva's reading feat appears in both the national and Asia-level record listings. The entries carry the same word count, book, chapter and recorded time, while noting different confirmation dates. The record recognises the number of words read from one chapter and the time taken to complete that passage in full.For now, the documented accomplishment is specific and impressive: a four-year-old reading 1,676 words from a single English storybook chapter in under 27 minutes — and having that feat recognised by two record organisations.- Ends