Patna: He was a religious preacher at the age of seven, but now at the age of 14, Shivanand Tiwary of Dharampura village in Rohtas district is among the youngest students in the country to crack the prestigious IIT entrance examination.

So young he is that he had to take permission from the court to write the IIT entrance examination, as boys and girls below the age of 15 are not allowed to appear. Talk to him, and he himself will say that till four years ago he had no inkling that he would be going to study at IIT. But his father Kamlakant Tiwary, a farmer by profession, as well as, people of his village and neighbouring areas had no doubts about his talent.