Maithri Malli Bags Top Honours at South India-level Yoga Championship
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Aug 4: Mangalorean Maithri Malli began learning Yoga a year ago. Now she's a champion at it.
At the tenth South India-level Open Yogasana Championship organized at Bangalore recently, Maithri was placed first in the college section, second in the general (open) section, and second in the back-bending section. The competition, organized by South India Yoga Federation, saw participants from across the southern part of India.
Maithri is the daughter of Madhukar Malli, of Madhu Constructions, and Vijayalakshmi Malli. Manmohan Malli of Abhiman Constructions and associate concerns is her uncle. She pursued her engineering from St Joseph's College, Vamanjur, and is now a final year student of MBA at SDM College of Business Management here.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Maithri extended special gratitude to her trainer, Yogaratna Gopalkrishna Delampady, an international yoga referee and retired senior health inspector and also a Rajyotsava awardee, who was her inspiration all the way and encouraged her throughout the competition. She also credits her success to Delampady's wife Veena Delampady and son Kiran Delampady who coached her.
"Apart from my yoga trainers, I thank my parents and also Dr Devraj K, director of SDM College for constantly encouraging me," she says. Her brother Mohith Malli who accompanied her to the competition also helped her throughout, she adds.
Maithri represented Karnataka at the south India-level championship, and incidentally, was one of the only two participants from Dakshina Kannada. Her wins gain special significance when one considers the fact that this was her first yoga competition ever, and she bagged the first and second places in all the three categories she participated in.
Interestingly, she learnt yoga only a year ago when she was advised to take it up as a cure for migraine. What started as a remedy soon turned into passion, and she practiced yoga diligently everyday, under the able guidance of the Delampady family. "Yoga made me more energetic and instilled in me a more postitive attitude towards life. I urge everyone to take up yoga for better health and fitness," says Maithri.
This talented girl is not just a champion at yoga - she is also a classical dancer who has passed exams and won state-level awards in Bharatanatyam. She is also into freestyle dancing.
Before the big event in Bangalore, Maithri prepared herself for two months, practicing for two hours daily. She specially concentrated on the tough postures, which ultimately brought her rewards. In the competition, the participants were asked to perform three postures compulsorily and two postures of their choice. Maithri chose some of the tougher ones, and needless to say, the judges were more than awed.
Yoga has now become a part and parcel of Maithri's life. She practices everyday, and plans to go for national yoga competitions next, besides answering yoga referee exams which, if she clears, will qualify her as a judge for yoga competitions. "I would like others to take inspiration and start practicing yoga on a daily basis, as it helps one not only to keep fit and healthy but also to lead a more disciplined life," she says.