Boy initially denied US visa for contest bags 8th place

MUMBAI: After going through a tough time getting a visa to travel to the United States to participate in an international competition, 12-year-old Mohammed Ali secured the eighth position in his category. A student of Pant Nagar Municipal School, Ali was among a handful students selected from across the country to participate in Ken Ken International Championship, a mathematical puzzle competition held at the Pace University in New York.
Ali had almost lost hope of attending the final round of the championship after his visa was rejected by the US Consulate in Hyderabad. Authorities were not convinced that he and his teacher would return to the country after the competition. However, following media reportage and intervention of civic authorities and the organizing company, Ali was granted the visa on May 21. A Class 5 student, Ali participated in the Delta category for children from Class III to V. “The experience was really nice. We got to stay in the US for five days and I also made friends there. I want to come back next year and win the competition,” said Ali who lives with his uncle and aunt in Mumbai. His parents live in Hyderabad. Ali had beaten nearly 35,000 students in the national round.
Others from the country who made a mark at the competition were Gaurav Pandey from Noida, who secured the first place at the championship and Dhani Bhangani from Gokuldham High School, Mumbai, and Shrishti Chakraborty from Greater Noida secured the second rank and third rank respectively in the Delta category. Devika Pillai from Orissa got the first rank among students of Class VI to IX.