There is nothing that can sum up the value of wholesome development better than recognizing how it impacts a child, and his /her entire life ahead. It can be the difference between intelligence and genius, the starkness between ordinary and extra ordinary, a marked distinction between ambition and passion. And we can all guess, who is likely to be smiling at the finishing line of any race, whether it’s life or academics!

We at Max New York Life igenius understand this and therefore have continually strived to further wholesome development as a concept for young minds. In this quest, we have had many interactions, conversations and even forums for you from time to time. But what we consider as one of biggest achievements is an initiative that recognizes and rewards the all round talent in children. It is our ‘IGENIUS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM!’

On Tuesday, December 20^th, 2011, igenius saw its second successful edition come to a close at a spectacular show, which celebrated talent. While some attendees participated to showcase their talent, there was well-known talent to judge them as well. Aastha Agarawal and Vaania Kapoor Achuthan walked away with a big smile and a handsome scholarship of INR 10, 00,000 each in Senior and Junior category respectively for igenius Scholarships 2011.

The esteemed judges Derek O’Brien (renowned quiz master), Ruskin Bond (renowned author), Murali Kartik, Ashish Nehra, Mithun Manhas (cricketers), Rajit Mehta (Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Max New York Life) were also joined by special guests Mr. Rajesh Sud, CEO and Managing Director, Max New York Life Insurance Company Limited.

The grand finale, as expected was a gripping one, and besides the two scholars, we also had some other proud moments with the senior and junior runners-up Paroma Roy Chowdhury and Jasreet Kaur respectively, and of course rest eighteen other talented children who participated in the event, who all made this event a grand success.

A special prize category has been introduced this year to encourage budding talent against all odds namely the “Talent Encouragement Award”. This year this award was given to 10 years old Aman Kumar, a fourth grade student hailing from the Buxar district in Bihar.

What’s more these budding talents got a chance to get inspired by the true stories of Indian cricketers who have become achievers in their own right. So, while Murali Karthik, Indian cricketer for the Indian Premier League, talked about how his parents always emphasized on excellence no matter what he does, Mithun Manhas spoke about the value of perseverance and practice, recalling his early days in Jammu where his passion for the sport began.  A golden opportunity for children to understand that hard work truly pays!

The Grand Finale witnessed some dazzling performances by students from different parts of the country. The participants also got words of encouragement from Derek O’ Brien, Quiz Master, Jury Member of igenius Scholarships, asking children to focus on that one core talent and honing it to achieve their fullest potential.

Max New York Life igenius scholarship is a unique programme to recognize and reward children who excel not just in academics but also in extracurricular activities. This scholarship programme provides a platform to bring out the hidden genius from within your child. The vision of this scholarship programme is to contribute towards a better future for our children. With no registration fees, the programme offers your children an opportunity to win scholarships of total 1 Crore INR each year. Having successfully concluded two editions of this unique scholarship program, we now look forward to honing many more geniuses in the years to come!