[aviraldg]

>> I think it has more to do feeling pride for one's own country.

India has considerably more impressive achievements to be proud of.

>> I fail to see how this is "mindless hero worship"

Of course it is. Some kid does something entirely ordinary (and probably realises that is the case), and the media treats it like the next big thing and calls him a prodigy. (For examples, look at the links I posted.)

>> rather than a means to push India into the spotlight for their 15 minutes of fame, granted the story makes international headlines.

Better unknown than famous like this.

[sizzle]

I agree with what you're saying, but I think this is more of an Indian media tactic. No one would know about this student otherwise, so you should be pointing your finger at the reports/journalists to create better content. I suspect this story was aimed at their Indian audience.

This achievement is largely forgettable to our population, but when Indians read this they feel a sense of pride for their fellow people's achievements. I think the Indian media is just exploiting this Indian trait to get more views.