SRINAGAR, Jan. 31 -- Mohammad Faariq Mir, 8, is on cloud 9 after he secured second rank in International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO).

For the second standard student of Whizkids School, Anantnag, it is the first step towards realizing his dream of becoming a scientist and a mathematician.

"I want to be like Albert Einstein. He is my inspiration. I started preparing for IMO last year. Thankfully, I was able to crack it. I secured the second rank," he told The Kashmir Monitor.

Son of a government officer, Faariq has been in love with math, unlike other kids who fear the subject in school. "My dad and teachers helped me a lot. I love math," he said.

Cut to Mohammad Aatik, 7, a first-standard student of Whizkids School, Anantnag. The boy s...