Vishvaa Rajakumar, a 20-year-old Indian college student, has won the Memory League World Championship by memorizing 80 random numbers in just 13.5 seconds. To achieve this feat, he uses an ancient Roman technique called the “method of loci” or “memory palace.” This method involves visualizing a large house and assigning memories to rooms, which helps mentally walk through the house and activate the brain’s hippocampus.
Rajakumar shared his strategies with The Times. He emphasizes the importance of hydration, as it helps keep the brain sharp. When preparing for the championship, he would drink plenty of water to stay focused and improve his speed.
For memorization, Rajakumar creates a mental map of his house, assigning memories to specific locations. He takes pairs of words and creates stories around them, placing each pair in a location on his mental map. By using this technique, he can remember the sequence of numbers with ease.
During the championship, contestants are given 80 random numbers to memorize quickly. Rajakumar’s fastest time was 13.5 seconds, earning him the top spot. He expressed amazement at his achievement, saying he was crying with excitement.
After completing college, Rajakumar plans to become a memory trainer and establish a memory institution in India to teach others this technique. His goal is to make it big and share the benefits of his method with a wider audience.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/14/science/vishvaa-rajakumar-memory-techniques.html