Differently-abled Student Becomes Most Flexible Yoga Champion

Tejaswi Sharma (21), 69 percent disabled JNU student registered as most flexible person in Unique World Record.

A student at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, Tejasvi Sharma, who is 69 percent physically challenged, has been recognised as the “most flexible handicapped yoga champion”.

He was registered after performing the hardest of asanas and postures that involve difficult contortions on 28 October 2015.

His feat was acknowledged and registered by Unique World Records, a global record book of Indian origin, whose first edition was published in 2009.

Tejasvi can perform asanas like bajrangasana, bhunamanasana and vrashchikasana, among others, which include difficult ‘contortions’ like shoulder rotations and touching elbow with lips.

21-year-old Tejasvi, from Bihar, is a final year student of German Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was affected by polio at the age of nine, and both his legs suffered.

He won the silver medal at the World Cup Yoga Championship held at Talkatora stadium in 2011. He also won gold at the 2012 Hong Kong Yoga championship. He secured the second position at the 2015 International Yoga championship, held in Shanghai, China.

Tejasvi wants to pursue his Masters in Yoga from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute. Innovate and discover new postures and asanas to be performed by disabled people.

Tejasvi wants to pursue his Masters in Yoga from Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute. Innovate and discover new postures and asanas to be performed by disabled people. I have been practicing yoga since the age of 5 and can now perform even the hardest asanas. I had lost sensation in my both legs and the doctor said they may never function properly. I was suggested to practice yoga to be able to walk without crutches and that is when I enrolled myself in a Yoga school. However, I did not know then that I would later on be keen on pursuing the art as a profession.

Tejasvi Sharma

Tejaswi has represented the country at various international yoga championships.

I wanted to learn a foreign language extensively so that when I go to international championships I should feel more enriched. I had zeroed down on French and German, but ultimately decided to pursue the latter.

Tejasvi Sharma

The JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) has lauded Tejasvi’s feat as an inspiration for students.

(With inputs from PTI)