Guinness World Records awards a certificate to the late Shakuntala Devi

Vidya Balan and Anupama Banerji

Guinness World Records has honoured the late Shakuntala Devi with the record title for 'Fastest human computation'. This certificate has come as a welcome surprise mere days ahead of the release of the biopic, Shakuntala Devi, on Amazon Prime Video.

The Fastest human computation is 28 seconds and was achieved by Shakuntala Devi (India), successfully multiplying two randomly selected 13 digit numbers, at Imperial College London, UK, on June 18, 1980. The certification was received by Anupama Banerji, daughter of the late Shakuntala Devi.

Shakuntala Devi is directed and written by Anu Menon and stars Vidya Balan as Shakuntala Devi, Sanya Malhotra as Anupama Banerji alongside Jisshu Sengupta and Amit Sadh in other pivotal roles.

"It is an overwhelming moment for me to be able to receive this honor on my mother's behalf. To be conferred with the certificate of 'Fastest human computation' is an exciting feat that only my mother was capable of!" said Anupama Banerji, the daughter of late Shakuntala Devi. She further expressed, "I am glad that I had the opportunity to provide significant inputs while developing the biopic, Shakuntala Devi, to ensure that people get to know my mother the way she was in real life - full of life and truly amazing. Her mad love and passion for maths is well-known, she always wanted to take this a level ahead. This is exactly the kind of recognition that would have made her extremely happy and thoroughly proud of her mathematical abilities which far surpassed anyone else's."

"While shooting for Shakuntala Devi in London, we would meet Anupama Banerji often. In my conversations with her, I realised that the late Shakuntala Devi, didn't have an official certification from Guinness World Records - it wasn't the norm then. Vikram Malhotra and I were therefore very keen to make this happen and along with the Amazon Team, we reached out to the Guinness World Records team who provided us with every support. I am thrilled that Anumpana will now have the certificate to cherish forever. This is my tribute to the legend!" Said Vidya Balan on essaying the role of Shakuntala Devi in her biopic.

Produced by Sony Pictures Networks Productions and Vikram Malhotra, and directed by Anu Menon, Shakuntala Devi stars National award-winning actor Vidya Balan in the lead, alongside Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh and Jisshu Sengupta.

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