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At just 19, when most teens are figuring out college or hobbies, one young man is rewriting the limits of the human brain. Mahmood Akram can fluently speak 46 languages and read, write, and type in over 400. Is he from the US, China, Japan, or Europe? None of the above—he’s from India!
Mahmood Akram hails from Chennai, India. Raised by a multilingual father, he grew up surrounded by alphabets, scripts, and dialects. His father, Shilbee Mozhippriyan, speaks 16 languages—and passed the language bug on to young Akram early in life.
Akram started learning Tamil and English at age 4—and stunned his parents by mastering English in only six days. By age 6, he had already surpassed his father’s knowledge in ancient Tamil scripts like Vatteluttu, Grantha, and Tamizhi.
Akram wasn’t just speaking—he was writing and typing in dozens of scripts. By 8, he had learned 50 languages through books, online platforms like Omniglot, and sheer dedication. His capacity to absorb language structures was compared to a supercomputer!
At just 8, Akram set a world record for being the youngest bilingual typist. At 10, he typed India’s national anthem in 20 languages in under an hour, winning him a second world record—and even the prestigious German Young Talent Award.
Akram’s talent led him to international stages. After winning a talent show, he earned a scholarship to study at Danube International School in Vienna, Austria. Today, he’s pursuing multiple degrees across India and the UK.
Despite mastering dozens of tongues, Akram has a clear favorite: Tamil. “It’s my mother tongue and closest to my heart,” he says. His passion for Tamil culture and heritage keeps him grounded while his achievements soar globally.
Mahmood Akram is more than a prodigy—he’s a symbol of what curiosity, hard work, and parental encouragement can achieve. With each new language, he shows the world that age is no barrier when the hunger to learn is truly alive.
(Images credit: @ashmi50/X, @Brice_rwanda/X & social media)
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