Sameeksha V, from Channapatna (also called as ‘City of Toys’), who represented Bharat in the 4th Yoga World Championship held at Bulgaria from 28-30th June, 2019, bagged 2 medals and made our country proud.

This is the second time in less than a one year span that Sameeksha made our tricolour fly high in the international arena. Last year, she represented Bharat in the 7th International Yoga Fair held in Malaysia and had achieved a silver and bronze medal each. 

Sameeksha started her yogic journey when she was just 3 years old, thanks to her mother as well as Yoga Guru Smt. Sowbhagya, the president of Sowbhagya Yoga Institute. Her mother stood as an inspiration and guide to nurture and develop the kid Sameeksha whose aim was already set.

Starting Yoga practice at such a small age, she won her first gold medal at the age of 5. Not looking back since then, she has won in almost every Yoga tournament she took part in, most of them being first prize in state and national level competitions. She started participating in international events from 2008 and won many medals and awards there too. In 2009, she won first prize at Dasara International Yoga Championship. 

In 2008 itself Sameeksha won gold in National Yoga Competition held at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. She also secured first prize in the International Yoga competition held at Mysuru, Karnataka in 2010. She was awarded with ‘Yoga Sadhaki’ award from Karnataka South Zone association in 2010.

Vishwa Prakruti Yoga Kendra awarded her ‘Bharatha Yoga Nidhi’, SJS International Yoga College and Research foundation recognised her with ‘Yoga Sadhaka’ award, Snehaloka Aldur awarded her with Best Yoga Champion as well as best anchor; she was also awarded with ‘Vishwa Manava Shri’ by Vishwa Manava Vedike.

The list goes on and on, she has received more than a few hundred recognitions, prizes and medals. Apart from practicing Yoga since the last 23 years, she also spreads awareness about yoga in society as well as on social media.

Is it only Yoga?

No, Sameeksha is a Mechanical Engineering graduate and an M.Tech holder in Machine design. She is a good anchor and great speaker too. She is an inspiration for thousands of youth. She is a person who is socially responsible as she always reaches out to the needy – be it for blind people, be it during Tamil Nadu flood, Kodagu-Kerala flood, she went out to help rehabilitate the needy with relief materials. She stands upfront when it comes to Nation and Dharma. 

Yoga sadhakas from 16 countries participated in the 4th World Yoga Championship in Bulgaria organized by World Real Yoga Alliance. The Bharatiya team of 17 members was led by Manohar Rajeshachari, the president of Acharya Yoga Youth club Bangalore. 13 members among 17 were from Karnataka and the other 4 were from Chattisgarh.

Sameeksha took part in two categories – Rhythmic Pair Yoga and Athletic Yoga, wherein she won bronze and gold medals respectively to make our tricolour fly high.

Sameeksha expressed her immense happiness saying, “It is always a proud moment to represent Bharat at the international level. Winning medals for Bharat is a dream come true. To hold the national flag is my fortune.”

After the introduction of World Yoga Day, now yoga has been embraced all over the world irrespective of nationality and ethnicity.

-By Shri Shishir Hegde

Did you like this article? We’re a non-profit. Make a donation and help pay for our journalism.