India Awards ‘Certificate of Honour’ for Winning Biscuit-Eating Competition

India’s unique relationship with extra-curricular activities is a blend of both encouragement and restraint. According to a 2018 Cambridge study, about 75% of school students in India participate in co-curricular activities or sports, with many choosing a science specialization in similar numbers in certain states. However, as they grow older, the focus often shifts towards academics, particularly for those pursuing a career in STEM.

Now and then, people come across relics from their childhoods—unusual, often forgotten achievements, like a certificate awarded for a biscuit-eating competition. A recent post on the social platform X showcases just such an example: a school in Mumbai, Shardaben Pranjeevanbhai School, awarded a “Certificate of Honour” dated January 26, 2013, to a Junior Kindergarten student for winning this unusual contest. The student’s name has been blacked out, adding an air of mystery to the story.

This quirky certificate drew reactions of disbelief online. “BISCUIT EATING?” one commenter asked simply, while another wrote, “I just hoped that you ate chocolate biscuits?” The post prompted others to recall their own unconventional childhood accomplishments. One user humorously shared, “I was [placed] 2nd in ‘book balancing’ when I was in 1st grade and that’s my only sports certificate,” while another added, “Biscuit eating and ready for school I won three times.”

Interestingly, the certificate also features a phrase often found on school certificates, “Health is wealth.” Although the X user sharing the post is not the original owner of the image, it appears to have first been shared on Reddit, where the student’s name was also edited out.

The certificate serves as a reminder of the passage of time; as users noted, the child who received it in 2013 is now a teenager on the cusp of turning 15.