When P. Gowri Sankar, N. Govind and M. Santosh took part in the 31st National Yoga Championship - 2018, little did they know that they would soon walk away with medals and certificates. Despite stiff competition, the three participants from Visakhapatnam were able to stand out in various categories of the event hosted recently by the Yoga Culture Association of Andhra Pradesh and All India Yoga Culture Federation in Amaravati.
“It was no mean task to compete in a national-level contest where 600 participants took part from different parts of the country. But, it was a great learning experience for all of us to meet the yoga practitioners from various States at one place and connect,” says P. Gowri Sankar, yoga instructor at Yoga Bharathi Trust, who secured the fourth spot (22-30 years) in the maiden championship he ventured into.
For Govind, who grabbed medals in various district and State level yoga events, this was his first national contest. “Despite tough competition, I could grab the top spot in artistic yoga and fifth position in rhythmic yoga,” he says.
At present, Govind is teaching power yoga at Yoga Village. He says the gold and bronze medals he received in the event have set a new parameter for him to achieve more in future.
Sharing his experience, Santosh, who won a silver medal in the championship (30-40 years category), says regular practice and proper diet helped him gain the second spot in the event.
The yoga instructors say their mission is to reach out to the youth and train them in asanas and postures that help them develop positive attitude.
