PURVA EYES GLOBAL SUCCESS

With over 50 medals to her name, including the prestigious Shiv Chhatrapati Award, Purva Kinare shares her journey in Yoga and her hopes for representing India in future international competitions.

- MILIND DHAMDHERE

The Shiv Chhatrapati Award, one of Maharashtra’s highest sports honours, has been awarded to Yoga players Purva Kinare and Nitin Pawale. This recognition is expected to elevate further the sport, which has deep cultural roots and is gaining momentum as a competitive discipline. Purva Kinare, this year’s award winner from Ratnagiri, shared her thoughts on receiving the honour with Sports Champ magazine, expressing that the award validates the sport and encourages others to pursue Yoga careers. Though Purva holds a degree in electronics engineering, her focus remains entirely on Yoga, choosing to dedicate herself to the sport rather than a traditional engineering career.

Purva and her younger sister Prapti grew up in a sportsoriented environment. Their father, Shivram, a well-known Kho Kho player and teacher, has been a key source of encouragement for both daughters. Their mother, on the other hand, ensures their diet and health are well maintained, further supporting their athletic endeavours. Initially inclined towards gymnastics, Purva switched to Yogasan due to limited equipment availability in Ratnagiri and was also influenced by the basic yoga exercises she learned during her school’s physical training classes.

Overcoming early setbacks