Three-and-a-half years-old V. Dheveesha has made the institution where she learnt the ancient martial art of Silambam proud.
Dheveesha was born and brought up at the institution by her father, Vigneswara Rao, who has been in the field for the last 12 years.
The girl has entered the India Book of Records as the youngest to perform Silambam. She demonstrated her skills before a select audience and the performance showcased the flexibility of her body and the skills she had developed in just one-and-a-half years.
Dheveesha has been a keen observer of the martial art, practised by the trainees right in front of her.
Close observation
Mr. Rao says she learnt the art form quickly as she watched the trainees closely for months. “In a few months of training, I was able to identify her skills, and groomed her,” he said.
Mr. Rao said he is a 7th-generation trainer. The OMS School of Silambam in Sathuvachari, Vellore, plays a vital role in kindling trainees’ innate skills, and it has expandedover the years. The students’ victory lies on their own performances and dedication, said Mr. Rao. The institution takes pride in its students’ successes, he added. Currently, about 80 students are being trained at the institution.
Mr. Rao has plans to ready his students for the Guinness Book of Records, and of course, Dheveesha will be among them.
She was recently appreciated for her efforts by District Collector A. Shanmuga Sundaram.
