Once rejected by coaches and schools, six-year-old Arisshvaran has been recognised by the International Book of Records.
When six-year-old Arisshvaran walked away from a half-finished pyramid of paper cups, his mother feared months of preparation were about to unravel.
The boy had already stacked several rows according to a carefully planned pattern inspired by the colours of the Malaysian flag. Then, without warning, he got up and wandered off.
“I couldn’t raise my voice to him. I couldn’t force him,” Naneecharam Muniandy recalled. “He needed to find his comfort zone, then he would do it.”
A few moments later, Arisshvaran returned to his seat, picked up another cup and carried on.
By the end of the challenge, he had stacked 120 paper cups into a pyramid in nine minutes and 58 seconds, earning recognition from the International Book of Records and a Super Talented Kid Award.
For Naneecharam, the achievement meant far more than a certificate. Just a few years ago, she was unsure whether her son would ever be accepted beyond the family home.
Diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder level 3, Arisshvaran displayed severe behavioural challenges from a young age. He would bang his head against walls, bite himself, and struggle to regulate his emotions.
Along with those challenges came rejection.
“He likes playing football, so I approached many different coaches. All of them assessed him for a day and rejected him, saying he wasn’t listening to them or had trouble focusing,” Naneecharam shared.
He was also refused admission to a preschool and had even been abused by a babysitter.
Naneecharam, who holds a postgraduate diploma in autism and a certificate in ADHD from the Asian College of Teachers, began working closely with her son.
Through therapy, motor-skill activities, yoga and later taekwondo, she gradually saw changes. Arisshvaran began speaking, regulating his emotions, and showing a desire to interact with other children.
A video of him playing football with a group of boys recently went viral. Unlike many adults who turned him away, the children welcomed him without hesitation.
“He wants to be with people,” Naneecharam said. “Whoever he meets, he says, ‘Hello, hi.’”
Naneecharam believed her son was capable of even more. “As a mother, I could see there was talent in him. I wondered, what’s next?”
One of Arisshvaran’s biggest influences has been his older sister, Abhineya, who also has autism. She recently earned recognition from the International Book of Records for solving a jigsaw puzzle and was later recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records for a similar achievement.
When Arisshvaran began solving puzzles like his sister, Naneecharam started exploring challenges that might suit his strengths. She eventually settled on the paper cup pyramid attempt.
Starting with just nine cups, she gradually increased the difficulty, teaching him to follow colour patterns and instructions. Before long, he was building pyramids with 60 cups.
“He enjoys doing this. Even now, it is one of his favourite activities,” she said.
On the day of the record attempt, Naneecharam focused on keeping her son calm and comfortable. She even prepared some jelly sweets as a reward.
“But I didn’t tell him about it,” she said with a laugh. “If I had, he would’ve been distracted.”
About a month later, when the record was officially validated, Naneecharam broke down in tears.
“As a mother, I have that instinct that he will be someone one day,” she said. “I believe in his talent. I believe in his skills.”
She regularly hears from parents seeking advice after seeing her children’s achievements online. Her message to them is simple: acceptance comes first.
“Before people reject them, you have to accept them first as a parent,” she said.
“All kids are super talented. It’s just that people don’t know how to mould them. You need to let go of the fear of bringing them up and trust in their abilities.”
