Mumbai: A mechanical engineer from Chembur, Sagar Ovhalkar, 25, received the Arjuna award for mallakhamb at Rashtrapati Bhavan on November 30. He is the first man in the country to achieve this feat. He is also the second mallakhamb gymnast to receive the honour after 21-year-old Himani Parab from Dadar received it last year.
Works during day, practices at night
According to reports in TOI, Ovhalkar works in a company that designs fiberglass pipes in Govandi. After inspecting the designs for whole day, he then quickly reaches Jawahar Vidya Bhavan, his school where he started his mallakhamb practice at a tender age of 6 years. He practices there for the night.
Ovhalkar was inspired by his elder brother to start mallakhamb practice. His sport was further strengthened under the guidance of his coach Sanjay Raichurkar and, later, Sunil Gangawane who taught him both rope and pole mallakhamb. Ovhalkar eventually preferred continuing pole practice after the rope version burnt his hands and thighs in early age.
Ovhalkar's achievements in 2019 WMC
In 2019, Centre recognised 'Mallakhamb' as an indigenous sport. This gave a boost and opened the doors for gymnasts to explore the world and bring glory to the country.
Sagar Ovhalkar competed in the 2019 World Mallakhamb Championships where gymnasts and enthusiasts from over 15 countries came together. He bagged three gold medals and two silver medals at the WMC.
Ovhalkar's strength being the arm-balance yoga poses such as 'bakasana (crow pose)' and 'titibasana (firefly pose)' and his signature 'element (pose)' called the 'one-hand straddle' helped him gain immense success while leading the country team in the 2019 WMC.
Ovhalkar plans to use his cash prize for the good
After 2019, Ovhalkar witnessed major shift in the handling and execution of providing facilities to the gymnasts in the sport. Right from getting crash mats and sturdy harnesses in training centres to getting good rooms instead of dorms while travelling for competitions, the nature of sports and nations' reaction to it has changed, observed Ovhalkar.
He himself has pledged to use his cash prize of Rs 15 lakh to get imported training equipment for his school after paying his home loan.
