12-year-old Rahul sweeps away competition to be crowned Child Genius champion
His father was particularly happy with the result.
Twelve-year-old Rahul has been named Child Genius 2017 in a tense final in which he saw off one of the youngest entrants in the competition.
The schoolboy, from Barnet, was the last child standing on the Channel 4 show after he swept to a 10-4 victory in a head-to-head final with nine-year-old Ronan.
Cheered on by competitive father Minesh and pharmacist mother Komal, Rahul impressed host Richard Osman with his specialist knowledge of the work of English scientist Edward Jenner in the semi-final.
On his win, the youngster said: “I am extremely delighted to win, well done to Ronan and all the other competitors. Thank you.”
He was entered into the show by Minesh, an IT manager, who called the win a “phenomenal achievement”.
His father had earlier said: “We’re a family who are used to winning and doing well in exams and competitions and things.”
Rahul captured the imagination of audiences during the competition after he gained full marks in a spelling test and correctly memorised the order of a pack of cards.
Both the grand finalists scored 15 in their specialist fields, with Rahul focusing on Edward Jenner’s medical innovation and methodology in 18th-century England.
Joshua, from Staffordshire, came in fourth behind 12-year-old Dylan in third while the only girl to reach the final, Aliyah, 10, placed fifth.
