Neerja - The Walking Dictionary
Sunday, January 15, 2012
In our daily life, we often forget many things. People often depend on Smart phones and similar digital devices to keep notes of things in this fast moving life. Remembering something is becoming more difficult nowadays. Here we have Mrs Neerja, who is known as the Walking Dictionary, who memorized the whole Oxford Dictionary!
Neerja is the first and only Guinness World Record Holder in memorizing the Whole Dictionary. She was here in Kuwait with Dr Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury for the Dynamic Memory Seminar “How To Double Your Memory”.
In an exclusive interview with IIK , Neerja shares her experience and techniques in Memorizing the Oxford Dictionary.
IIK: First of all, tell us about yourself, like where are you from, education etc..?
I am basically from Meerut. My schooling was in Meerut and did my MBA – HR from Meerut University. Then went to Delhi and worked there as a management faculty.
IIK: When did you come across the Memory Guru Biswaroop Chowdhury and learn the memory techniques?
A leading newspaper in Meerut had organized Dr Biswaroop seminar. At that time my brother was in 10th. He was a sharp student but never focused in his studies. So I thought of attending the seminar and learn some memory techniques and teach him. I found the seminar very useful.
IIK: What initiated you to memorize the whole Oxford English – Hindi Dictionary?
My education was in Hindi medium school and when I attended Biswaroop seminar I had completed my studies. My English was not so good and I wanted to improve my vocabulary. Earlier when I used to read the dictionary I did not have the Memory Techniques to memorize the words but after attending the seminar I got the confidence to memorize the complete dictionary. This initiated me in memorizing the dictionary and I could complete it within 6 months. In August 2009 I made world record in memorizing the whole dictionary.
IIK: Can you share with us the techniques you used to memorize the Whole Dictionary?
Techniques are based on the principle of visualisation and Association. Actually our brain does not understand the language of words; it can understand the language of pictures. We should convert the things we want to remember for long into images and this art is called Mnemonics.
Mnemonics is the art which leads to memory. I visualise a particular word in contest of its meaning and make an image.
EX: Acrophobia – Fear of Heights
I visualize it like there is a Crow and I am sitting on the crow and flying in the sky and I am very frightened because of the height.
IIK: You have written a book named “Memory Techniques for Science Students” what’s it about?
It’s mainly for 11th to 12th standard students and even for students preparing for Medical and IIT. From that book one can learn how to memorize in a fast way biological diagrams, mathematical formulas, equations etc.
IIK: You have also made Memory Comic software containing easy tips to memorize the oxford Dictionary can you tell us about this?
Through this software one can learn word and its meaning effortlessly. By using this software one can learn the words at the rate of 100 words per hour.
IIK: You have designed the world’s Largest Scissors. How you got this idea?
While launching the Memory Comic software I thought that as this software is unique why not make the launching a memorable one to all. Whenever a book or a product is launched, it is common to use scissors to cut the ribbon so I made the Large Scissors – 7 feet 7 inches which was a world record and I used that scissors for launching the software.
IIK: You have started a company called Memory Dictionary Pvt Ltd. Can you tell us something about the company?
In Dynamic Memory Pvt Co., we are promoting memory techniques to common masses, we promote books. Publish books on memory, mind and health, organizing various seminars etc. This company is mainly to help Students of CAT, MAT, GRE, TOEFL etc to memorise the English vocabulary fast.
Mrs Neerja was in Kuwait during the “Double your Memory” seminar organised by IndiansinKuwait.com, in which she mesmerised the audience by giving the meaning of any difficult word selected by the audience.
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Deepika Nambiar is part of the IIK team and IWIK core team. She does regular contributions to the news portal IndiansinKuwait.com and also for Timesofindia.com.
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