At just 5 years old, Malaysian child author Heyra Jeganath has already achieved what many could only dream of.
Heyra has officially been recognised by the International Book of Records as the “World’s Youngest to Publish a Self-Memoir Book,” adding another major achievement to her growing list of recognitions.
Her latest milestone comes months after she was recognized by the Malaysia Book of Records as Malaysia’s Youngest Author following the publication of her debut book, Heyra, The Big Sister, on her fifth birthday on December 5.
She has also been recognized as the Youngest Author in Asia and received the Asia’s youngest Achiever Award by the Asia Awards.
A Little Girl Telling Her Own Story
What makes Heyra, The Big Sister special is that it comes from Heyra’s own childhood experiences rather than being fictional. Her journey to storytelling started around the arrival of he younger sister. When her mother was hospitalized after the birth, Heyra started expressing her feelings and experiences through stories. Her mother then started documenting what she shared.
The result became Heyra, The Big Sister, which was inspired by her memories, emotions and experiences of becoming an older sibling. For her mother, Dr.Pooja Beesoon, the records are meaningful but seeing her daughter grow remains more important.
“We are extremely proud of Heyra. The recognition is wonderful but what makes us the happiest is seeing her confidence, curiosity, and love for learning grow,” she shared.
More Than Writing
Heyra’s interest is more than just books. She has taken part in educational, environmental, innovation, kindness and anti-bullying initiatives, showing an early interest in learning and contributing to the community.
Her family hopes her journey will encourage parents and educators to listen to children’s ideas, and support their creativity by giving them opportunities to discover what they are capable of.
Sources: MKU (Malaysia Kalai Ulagam), Heyra Jeganath Instagram
