"It's meant getting up early, going to sleep late, studying. It just feels really, really great,"
– Rhea after the win
Rhea, a schoolgirl from west London, correctly spelled the word 'eleemosynary', meaning charitable, to claim the title of 'Child Genius 2016' on August 2, after passing through four weeks of tough rounds in the competition.
Rhea now lives in UK with her family after she moved from the United States, six years ago. Rhea with six correct answers drew equal with her opponent Saffy on nine points as they entered the final head-to-head question round in the competition, reported PTI reports.
The ten-year-old Indian origin girl has been crowned as Britain's brightest child after she won a popular television quiz competition in the UK.
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The move triggered some social media backlash against Sonal, who was branded as too "pushy".
Child Genius winner Rhea with her parents. 'The news that the clincher determining the award was the ability to spell "eleemosynary" reawakened an ancient sense of impotent fury', writes Peter Roland. Image source: Channel 4
One Twitter comment read: "Rhea is such a smart young lady but her mother is shocking! This isn't about you…". "Rhea's parents are ridiculously pushy, poor kid," read another tweet.
According to the PTI reports, during her daughter's 20 questions round – in which the five children were battling for a place in the final – Rhea's answer to a Florence Nightingale question was rejected by quiz master Richard Osman.
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But her mum Sonal argued the question was too general and that her daughter's answer was still correct." Rhea loved doing it. The show gives them a chance to be with kids like them, to be in that room and feel normal," Sonal said.
Earlier, Sonal had rejected concerns that programmes such as 'Child Genius' can put too much pressure on youngsters. The quiz show is hosted by Richard Osman, who described this year's show as "the greatest final in the history of Child Genius".
– prepared by Yajush Gupta of NewsGram. Twitter: yajush_gupta
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