YOGA GETS TEENAGER ON HIS FEE

A TEENAGER left half paralysed after an infection made it difficult for him to walk has made a remarkable recovery thanks to yoga.

Nineteen-year-old Sherin Kumar, suffered an infection in his legs which made him walk on his toes as he was unable to keep his feet on the ground.

This in turn led to discomfort, difficulty in walking and a general feeling of lethargy over several years until a chance meeting with yoga guru Bandi Ramulu.

Mr Ramulu, 54, said: "Once while performing some yoga in the Andalus Garden this August I came across this young and smart-looking boy, hunched over and walking extremely slowly, dragging his feet.

"I went up to his mother and asked her what was wrong with her son, why was he walking like this. She said she didn't know why but he seemed to have a lack of energy.

"I asked her not to worry and told her to allow me to train him for six months."

She agreed, and today, just a few months later, after intensive yoga training with Mr Ramulu which involved daily sessions and postures to help strengthen Sherin's legs and also his stamina, there has been a remarkable improvement. Now he can not only walk properly, but also run and jump.

Sherin's mother Kanchan, from Adliya, said: "Yoga has had a great effect on Sherin.

"As a mother I was really worried about my only son's health. He used to stay at home all the time - on the computer or watching TV.

"When he was younger I used to ask him to go out and play and be more active but he wouldn't hear of it.

"Thankfully we came across master Ramulu and now he is no longer lethargic or lazy... he is very active and confident."

And Sherin himself said: "I was walking one day in Andalus Garden and I saw Mr Ramulu practising yoga. He came up to me and said that we should start working at yoga together for six months.

"Now it's all OK, it has helped me a lot and it has been perfect. I used to walk on my toes with my heels high because I couldn't put them down. But they are fine now."

Now that he is feeling so much better Sherin is very positive about the future and is studying for a bachelor's degree. He also hopes to take up a course in telecommunications programming.

Bahrain-based Indian yoga master Mr Ramulu defines the exercise as a union of the mind and soul with the body... with no traces of religious connotations whatsoever.

According to a recent news report, the Malaysian government issued an edict prohibiting its people from practising yoga fearing its Hindu roots could corrupt them.

Mr Ramulu, from Gudaibiya, said: "There is nothing religious about yoga - it's a science!

"The concept was born in India, but people all over the world follow it.

"Yoga gives light to people. It is one of the best medicines for the human body. It not only makes one a much happier person, it also gives one an immense peace of mind by keeping mentally and physically fit and it can even be helpful during pregnancy."

Bandi Ramulu has been training health-conscious individuals in the kingdom for the past 17 years and has worked with 13,000 individuals of different nationalities, races, creeds and religions.

He said: "I have students from all over the world including the US, UK, India, Scotland, Australia, Poland, Pakistan, Denmark alongside Bahrain and other GCC states."

Mr Rumulu's affection for the exercise began nearly 20 years ago when he experienced a series of recurring chest pains which he developed at the age of 12 when a buffalo attacked him and stamped on his chest.

He said: "I went to many doctors in the kingdom but the pain didn't subside.

"I then remembered some yoga steps I had done as a child and thought to try them out.

"I started with the head standing position and I continued doing different techniques every day for an hour or two."

After a year and a half, Mr Ramulu not only became a regular yoga practitioner, he lost nearly ten kilos in weight, gained more energy and noticed that his migraines and chest pains had disappeared.

Rejuvenated and re-energised Mr Ramulu, a driver by profession, decided he was going to get more serious about yoga and at the same time he chanced upon a book on yoga by world renowned guru BKS Iyengar.

He said: "I read the book and studied it. In 45 weeks, I finished reading a book that needed 300 weeks of intensive studying.

"I practiced on my own for three to five hours daily and in four years, I was ready. I was a happier and healthier person and in April 1991, I travelled to Pune in India to pay my respects and get blessings from my guru, BKS Iyengar - renowned yoga master from India.

"When I met him, I stood saluting him for one full hour after which I showed him the snapshots of yoga postures that I had been doing and I came back to Bahrain with his blessings to start training and assisting others."

Mr Ramulu was recently awarded certification qualifying him to teach yoga for intermediate senior level from the famous Ramani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in India.

Each year he jointly celebrates his own birthday and that of his guru, which falls on December 14. Festivities took place at the Bayoga Centre in Juffair then Mr Ramulu also travelled to Pune to join BKS Iyengar in celebrating his 90th birthday.

Mr Ramulu hopes to leave Bahrain in 2010 and return to his home town of Maddyakunda in southern Andhra Pradesh state to join his wife and family with the intention of opening a yoga institute to help his village and neighbours through his gift and skills.