Sixth-Grader Wins Va. Geography Bee

Although Partha did not place among the top contestants that year, his parents saw an opportunity to "structure his brilliance into something we can all be proud of," his father said.

Partha's mother, S. K. Narasimhan, began studying rigorously with him, she said. For hours at a time, he would sit at the table, his face cupped in his hands, as she fired questions at him. This year, they studied together for an hour a day on weekdays and three hours a day on weekends, and even more as the competition approached.

Occasionally, Partha said, he sneaks off to play video and computer games with his 8-year-old brother, Sudarshan.

"Man, I need to play a little," Partha said.

But even his game-playing reflects his devotion to history, science and geography. His favorite computer game at the moment is Civilization IV, in which a player takes on the role of one of the great civilizations and tries to build an empire. His favorite movie is "An Inconvenient Truth," Al Gore's documentary about global warming.

Although he enjoys geography and the many subjects it encompasses, Partha said the coming weeks will be grueling. He plans to continue to study daily with his mother, and aims to place among the top 20 finalists.

His parents, however, have their sights set higher. His father predicts top 10, while his mother said he may well capture first place.

"It's definitely doable," she said.