MiKids and CriCo – Chennaionline

SIP Academy, one of India’s leading after-school skill development organisations, celebrated its 23rd anniversary, marking more than two decades of helping children build essential skills for school and life. Founded in Chennai in 2003, SIP Academy has grown to more than 1,250 centres across India. Through programmes including SIP Abacus, Globalart, MiKids and CriCo English, the organisation has impacted over 16 lakh children, developing abilities such as concentration, arithmetic proficiency, creativity, communication and confidence. The milestone year was marked by significant achievements across learning, international exposure, environmental responsibility and early childhood education. Two International Competitions for Global Learning The SIP Abacus International Prodigy Competition 2025, held at the Chennai Trade Centre, brought together more than 5,700 children aged six to twelve from India and 11 other countries. Recognised as one of the world’s largest international abacus competitions, the event provided children with a platform to demonstrate speed, accuracy, concentration and mental arithmetic skills. The competition has also been recognised four times by the Limca Book of Records. The year also saw the Globalart International Competition return to India after 15 years. Held in Chennai, the event brought together 500 young artists from 14 countries. Participants aged five to eighteen created original artworks based on the theme “My World of AI”, celebrating creativity and independent thinking in an increasingly technology-driven world. Globalart India, introduced by SIP Academy in 2005, has trained over one lakh children and operates through more than 150 centres across eight states. Creating Impact Beyond Learning During the year, SIP Academy added three new Miyawaki forests, taking the total number created by the organisation to six forests with 25,400 saplings. The initiative reflects SIP Academy’s belief that education must extend beyond academic and skill development to include environmental responsibility. The forests are intended to create long-term ecological value while encouraging children and communities to become more conscious of their role in protecting the environment. MiKids India Completes 20 Years The year also marked the 20th anniversary of MiKids India, SIP Academy’s early childhood language development programme. For two decades, MiKids has helped young children build strong foundations in phonics, vocabulary, reading, comprehension and spoken English through a structured and age-appropriate methodology. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Dinesh Victor, Managing Director, SIP Academy, said: “Over the past 23 years, our programmes have helped more than 16 lakh children build skills and confidence. This year’s international competitions, MiKids’ 20-year milestone and our six Miyawaki forests reflect our commitment to creating an impact that goes well beyond learning.” As SIP Academy enters its 24th year, the organisation plans to expand its reach, strengthen programme delivery and create more opportunities for children to learn, compete, create and grow with confidence.