Hyderabad hosts INMC-2018

Hyderabad: The World Memory Sports Council for India organized the 9th Indian National Memory Championship (INMC) 2018, on Sunday at Hotel Manohar. The Championship was declared Open by Dr Francis Xavier, Father of Memory in India and Guru who trained Sqd Ldr Jayasimha in Memory, by lighting the lamp. World Memory Sports Council has taken the initiative to organize Memory Sports across the Globe and the National Memory Council for India under the aegis of World Memory Sports Council organised the Indian National Open Memory Championships - 2018. 

The ninth Indian National Memory Championship 2018 was held under the stewardship of Sqd Ldr Jayasimha, President, World Memory Sports Council for India and multiple Guinness world record holders. International observer Phil Chambers, the chief arbiter, World Memory Sports Council and Indian observers JSP Raj and Pavan Bhattad supervised and monitored the event. Over 250 memory athletes from various states of India took part in the championship. The top 50 winners at this Championship will gain eligibility to represent India at the World Memory Championship to be held at Hong Kong from December 20-22.  

The Championship was organised in the categories of Kids (12 years & below); juniors (13 to 17 years); Adults (18 to 59 years) and 2 participants in seniors (60 years & above). The participants were tested in the 10 memory disciplines of Memorising Names and Faces, Memorising Binary Numbers, Memorising Random Numbers, Memorising Abstract Images, Memorising Speed Numbers, Memorising Historic / Future Dates, Memorising Random Playing Cards, Memorising Random Words, Memorising Spoken Numbers and Memorising Speed Cards. There are marks allotted for each discipline and the Memory Athlete with the highest overall score in these 10 disciplines is declared as the winner.

The winner was awarded the title, “The Indian National Memory Champion 2018”, a trophy, certificate and a Prize Money of Rs 3,00,000/-; the First Runner up was presented a trophy, certificate and prize money of Rs 2,00,000/- and the Second runner up took away a trophy, certificate and a prize money of Rs 1,00,000/-. In each category the topper bagged Rs 50,000/-; First Runner-up Rs 30,000 and Second Runner-up Rs 20,000/-.

Speaking about the event Sqd Ldr Jayasimha said, this is the ninth year of the Championship, which is gaining popularity year on year. We have popular sports events and competitions for body and physical fitness, but there was no such competition for brain. This is as essential or even more than the body fitness. To keep our brain fit and sharp, we need to jog the brain, constantly challenge it; this competition aims to work towards that. If the brain is sharp, we can achieve much more, bring in innovations, resolve issues, find answers and make the world much better place to live. 

Our objective is to ensure that an Indian becomes a World Memory Champion by 2020. He desired government taking initiative to introduce a subject on Memory and making it a part of the curriculum.  Rajender Reddy, Chairman, Gandhi Global Family, Gandhi Gyan Prathishtan, was the chief guest at the Awards Ceremony held in the evening and gave away the Awards and prize money to the winners. Motivational Speaker, Radha Krishna; Film actor and HR Trainer, Pradeep and Balalatha, Civil services coach, were present on the occasion. 

Why Memory Sports?
There are world championships for virtually every physical sport like Swimming, Boxing, Foot Ball, Cricket, Hockey and Athletics and so on and on and on… Yet there was no world championship for that most important cognitive function of all, and without which none of the others could exist – MEMORY! World Memory Sports Council had taken up the initiative to organize Memory Sports across the Globe. In this direction, National Memory Council for India under the aegis of World Memory Sports Council has organised the Indian National Open Memory Championships – 2018.
 
Aim
The aim of the National Memory Council of India is to showcase the Indian Brain Power to the whole World and ultimately produce a World Memory Champion from India.  Squadron Leader Jayasimha, Multiple Guinness World Record Holder and the President of World Memory Sports Council had been working towards promoting the Memory Sports in India. He had trained numerous students, adults, professionals and trainers in the field of Memory. His goal is to organize World Memory Championships in India in 2020. Learning these memory techniques and practicing them not only will help keep the brains sharper but also help them to apply these techniques in academics and day to day life.