Rourkela: A three-year-old child prodigy in the steel city has taken everybody by surprise as he is able to read newspapers and text books even though he is yet to start schooling.

Arjya Niskam took everybody by surprise when he read the newspapers and books with clear pronunciation yesterday in the presence of Additional District Magistrate, Niteen Bhanudas Jawale. Born on May 14,2004,Arjya started reading newspaper headlines and Oriya signboards written in bold letters at the age of two years and seven months, said his father, Amarendra Behera, an employee of Rourkela Steel Plant.

The child prodigy surprised everybody by reading panchayat election posters mostly printed in Oriya and slogans of mass education movement (Sarba Sikhya Abhiyan) written in village school building when the proud parents along with him had visited their village in Kendrapara district in coastal Orissa during last panchayat elections in February.