UTMB 2025: Guntur’s Viswabharath Allamsetti on his journey to finishing world’s toughest ultramarathon
Viswabharath Allamsetti, with his roots in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, recently finished the gruelling Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in France. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Exactly 44 hours and 29 after he started out, Viswabharath Allamsetti crossed the finish line at Chamonix,…
Asian Surfing Championships 2025: Meet the star athletes riding the waves in Mamallapuram
Onlookers watch open-mouthed as an athlete, with the Japanese flag emblazoned on his wetsuit balances deftly on one leg, and juggles three neon balls in the air. This is just the beginning of his warm up. Athletes from South Korea…
Jonty Rhodes on why he loves the surfing revolution in Mamallapuram
Former South African cricketer and Surfing Federation of India (SFI) ambassador Jonty Rhodes at Mamallapuram Jonty Rhodes laughs when told that a surfing event here feels incomplete without his presence. The former South African cricketer has always waxed eloquent on…
Pickleball picks up in Thiruvananthapuram
Ajay Thomas’ first encounter with pickleball, a paddle sport played with a perforated plastic ball, happened a little over a year ago in Chennai, during a corporate team outing. Within a few minutes of playing the game, Ajay, an athlete…
Asian Surfing Championships 2025: 150 surfers from 20 Asian countries to compete in Mamallapuram
Surfers at a practice session in Mamallapuram | Photo Credit: Vaibhav Gupta Have you ever watched in awe as surfers, graceful and agile, take on the waves at the Coromandel coast? Chennai’s many surf schools at any given point of…
The Bhag Club in Delhi turns one inspiring people to run for fun
Participants at The Bhag Club voluntary run in Delhi | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Last Sunday, a large group of college students and young adults gathered at Chanakyapuri in Delhi and voluntarily put on their running shoes to run the…
Jump rope for fun and fitness, a new community rises in Chennai
G. Aravindaakshan, founder of Chennai Jumps, a jump rope community in Chennai. | Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN On Sunday morning, around two dozen individuals — a spirited mix of children, adults, and seniors — gathered at Dr. Natesan Park on…
Meet the Masters: An all-women team from India gears up for the World Beach Ultimate Championships
Players during a training session at Besant Nagar beach The sun is beating down on Besant Nagar beach on Saturday morning, and while people are carefully choosing to sit or stand under the scattering of trees nearby, a group of…
Can Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs be substitute for work outs? Dr Ambrish Mithal and Raj Ganpath discuss
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, cutting calories and spending long hours in the gym, this thought must have occurred to you: “I wish there were a pill I could pop and take care of it.” Turns out that…
A film that explores running as a collective activity
Basav Biradar says his new film, One Foot In Front Of The Other, which chronicles the journey of four runners who decide to run from Bengaluru to Chennai along the highway, is a political act. “There is a lot of…
Chennai’s Flywild Ultimate Frisbee team wins TRIO Invitational Tournament 2025 in Malaysia
There is something about the high you experience, watching an edge-of-the seat victory in a sports movie on the big screen. Closer home however, the sands of Besant Nagar beach that has several teams come together to play Ultimate Frisbee…
It feels really good to be number one again: Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra is thrilled about having regained the top spot in men’s javelin throw as per the latest World Athletics ranking. But it hasn’t been an easy climb to the top, with the last year, in particular, being very tough,…
Marathoner Ashwini Bhat on running the ultra mile
It is 4pm, and Ashwini swipes her card as she exits a gym at Millers Road, greeting us with a welcome smile. “I train here thrice for nearly three hours every week,” she says. Not too long ago, the 39-year-old…
Triathlete Suresh Sam Chandy eyes sixth Ironman title after a successful stint in Brazil
Suresh Sam Chandy after finishing his fifth Ironman triathlon in Florianopolis, Brazil | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT “The tagline of the Ironman triathlon is ‘Anything is Possible’. Yet, it is a seemingly impossible task and a larger-than-life experience. This possibility gravitated…
Why I lift: How more Indian women are taking up strength training
Women lifting weights at Ladies Club, an all-women’s gym in T Nagar, Chennai. | Photo Credit: Shivaraj S Fifty-one year-old Safira Altaf walks into Ladies Club, an all-women’s gym in T Nagar, twice a week at 8.30am with a top…
Gyms in Kochi are emerging as friendly and inclusive spaces that are redefining fitness standards
Can’t execute a flawless burpee? Never mind, try a simple plank then. If that is too much to ask, get out and play cricket or go for a walk. Because if you don’t feel up to it, all you probably…
International Yoga Day: Odissi exponent Surupa Sen on how dance and yoga nourish the body and the mind
Surupa Sen | Photo Credit: Karthik Venkatraman “Run! Run faster and you will get there quicker!”, is all we hear and do in our lives. We are constantly surrounded by the demand to cope no matter how. On the other…
Picture of the week: the strength of women
A group of women executing deadlifts as part of the International Women’s Day event held at Manaveeyam Veedhi in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday (March 8). Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran Last year exactly 18,887 crimes were reported…
Picture of the week: The superhumans of Mumbai
A young girl practises mallakhamb as monsoon clouds hover over Mumbai at Shivaji Park on May 20. Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI In Mallakhamb, a traditional performative sport from India, performers balance themselves on a pole…
Picture of the week: The superhumans of Mumbai
A young girl practises mallakhamb as monsoon clouds hover over Mumbai at Shivaji Park on May 20. Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI In Mallakhamb, a traditional performative sport from India, performers balance themselves on a pole…
Hyderabad chapter of Sisters in Sweat kicks off with sessions in football, kickboxing, and more
On a Sunday morning, a group of women gather at Turfside, Hyderabad. They begin with a warm up and spend the next 90 minutes playing football. Not all of them are adept at the game. A coach guides them with…
Climbers from Assam summit previously unclimbed Ladakh peak, honour Lachit Borphukan
Part of the team on their way to the summit | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Six climbers from Assam successfully summited a previously unclimbed 6,365-metre peak in Ladakh as part of the Triple Peak Expedition, organised by the Assam Mountaineering…
In Chennai’s Chintadripet, a boxing club gives underprivileged kids a fighting chance
On the morning of her second-semester exam, 18-year-old S.M. Durga Sri is hard at work, punching away at the bags at GS Boxing Club in Chintadripet. When asked if she’s worried about the exam, she replies with a smile, “Not…
Learn about kettlebell lifting, a sport gaining popularity in Tamil Nadu
Rohith G, Vignesh Hariharan and Sharmila Kumari Pinjala at The Hammer kettlebell academy in Kolathur. Photo: Srinivasa Ramanujam. Shot On OnePlus #FramesofIndia A training session is in the works on the second floor of Kolathur’s The Hammer Fitness gym, on a…
Chennai: Women with disabilities get exclusive space to train, exercise
The gym dedicated to women with disabilities in Nungambakkam, Chennai. | Photo Credit: M. Srinath M. Nathiya swiftly pulls one side of the cable crossover machine weighing over six kg and proceeds to pull the other, grunting with each effort….
A weight loss journey sans a nutritionist, gym, and a coach: How it all worked out
If someone had told me two years ago that I would lose over 50 kilos without setting foot in a gym or giving up real food, I would not have believed it. But here I am—healthier, sharper, and more confident…
Meet Shashaank Saravanakumar, a young para cyclist breaking barriers in Coimbatore
Shashaank Saravanakumar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Fourteen-year-old Shashaank Saravanakumar may be soft-spoken, but on the road, his determination speaks volumes. A student of St Antony’s School, Puliyakulam, Coimbatore, Shashaank recently made his mark at the first Para-national Road Cycling…
Exploring Coimbatore’s growing pickleball craze
Amidst the thwack of shuttlecocks and the thump of cricket balls a new sound echoes across the neighbourhoods of Coimbatore: the lively, distinct pop of a pickleball paddle meeting its plastic foe. From gated communities to newly minted indoor arenas,…
Here’s how Indian card games are reshaping game nights and social gatherings
In living rooms, cafés, and weekend get-togethers, card games are quietly reshaping the social landscape in India. This past year has seen an influx of new designs — some built to test knowledge, others to fuel laughter or spark debate….
Picture of the week: the strength of women
A group of women executing deadlifts as part of the International Women’s Day event held at Manaveeyam Veedhi in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday (March 8). Shot on OnePlus #FramesofIndia | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran Last year exactly 18,887 crimes were reported…
Backyard Ultra comes to Coimbatore: A test of endurance and strategy
The endurance-testing Backyard Ultra format is coming to Coimbatore — and to South India — for the first time. The inaugural Coimbatore Backyard Ultra is organised by Prem SB and Nithin SS, the founders of the health and fitness startup,…
Polo in India: How the sport is drawing new spectators
In Shandur, Pakistan, home to the world’s highest polo field in the shadow of the snow-dusted Karakoram mountains is a plaque that reads “Let other people play at other things, the king of games is still the game of kings”….
International Women’s Day: Meet three women entrepreneurs in Visakhapatnam who are redefining success
Fit with Fab Farzana Begum walks into Fit with Fab every morning in Visakhapatnam, her hijab neatly tucked in place, a symbol of her identity. “My hijab is a part of me, just like my strength. It doesn’t limit me;…
At the world’s highest frozen lake marathon, Chennai’s Major Amirtharaj NS makes a mark
A snapshot from a previous edition of The Pangong Frozen Lake Marathon | Photo Credit: Adventure Sports Foundation of Ladakh Where the Greater Himalayas rise from the Indo-Gangetic plains to run along Pakistan and China lies a large salt lake…
We try Kendo, a Japanese martial art form, and learn the samurai’s secrets
At a practice session of Japanese martial art form Kendo at Combat Kinetics, Teynampet in Chennai | Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN A week since my first Kendo class with the Chennai Kendo Club, I find myself often zoning in and…
We try a Mixed Martial Arts class in Chennai. Can MMA be your next fitness routine?
Chennai’s interest in MMA catapulted with the popularity of UFC | Photo Credit: special arrangement Between many giggles, a couple of tiny wrestlers are warming up for the day at the 11-year-old Chennai MMA Academy in Nungambakkam. They sprint, do…
How this equestrian club is making horse riding more accessible in Coimbatore
Equestrian sports have long been associated with discipline, skill, and an unmatched bond between rider and horse. Unlike other athletic pursuits, horse riding requires an intricate understanding of movement, balance, and communication, making it one of the most unique and…
Telangana mountaineer Anvitha Padamati scales Aconcagua, sets sights on new peaks
Anvitha Padamati | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement “I value the journey as much as the summit. People assume mountaineering is a cakewalk for me, but I always remind them —and myself — that each mountain is different and must be…
Chennai| Pilates expert Namrata Purohit on this mind-body exercise, celebrity clients, and more
When celebrity fitness expert Namrata Purohit started her first Pilates studio in 2011, there were only a couple of studios in the country. “Only a few people seemed to be aware of Pilates. But we quickly saw footfalls increase,” she…
Discover the rise of pickleball among tennis players, its accessibility, affordability, and potential for growth in the sports industry in Chennai
When four of Chennai’s leading club tennis players Vikram Seshasayee, Sooraj Viswanathan, G Rajesh and B Venkteshwar met up in November 2024, it was not to discuss tennis. The four of them were in final discussions about putting up Chennai…
Discover the rise of pickleball among tennis players, its accessibility, affordability, and potential for growth in the sports industry in Chennai
When four of Chennai’s leading club tennis players Vikram Seshasayee, Sooraj Viswanathan, G Rajesh and B Venkteshwar met up in November 2024, it was not to discuss tennis. The four of them were in final discussions about putting up Chennai…
High-end health clubs allegedly conceal an exploitative work culture in Thiruvananthapuram
A fitness trainer at a gymnasium in Thiruvananthapuram. | Photo Credit: Nirmal Harindran Thiruvananthapuram’s rapidly growing network of upscale health clubs is emerging as a youngster’s mecca for employment. Hundreds of youth from struggling working-class families with an affinity for…
Saurabh Bothra: mum’s the word | The yoga trainer and entrepreneur wants older women to prioritise their health and do it every single day
Saurabh Bothra, 32, is everyone’s favourite ‘son’. Maybe that’s because he has mastered the ability to get even the most inactive women to exercise and feel better about themselves. He lives by the ‘yoga everyday’ motto printed on his white…
Cycle, celebrate, connect at the Chennai Cycling Thiruvizha
An exclusive cycling competition will be conducted for kids in the age group of 8 to 12 in a safe environment | Photo Credit: The Hindu The Chennai Cycling Thiruvizha is a carnival dedicated to all things cycling. This annual…
Chennai | Raj Ganpath on consistency, the big picture, and fitness as functionality for the common person
Raj Ganpath | Photo Credit: Johan Sathyadas In the introduction to his debut book, Simple, Not Easy, Raj Ganpath says that the book is an unusual mix of science, reason and positivity meant to provide clarity and inspiration. There is…
Chennai | Kickstaring your running journey in 2025? Get inspired by these veteran runners
At 66 years, K Selvanayagam is of the firm belief that running is in everyone’s blood. “If you decide to run and have the resolve to see this through, the rest of your life — your schedule will automatically fall…
Pickleball, Chennai’s viral sport, thrives with more venues and players
Amitash says his life is now scheduled keeping in mind his pickleball game time in the evenings. “Three to four days a week, I get together with a large group to play and we have at least one court booked…
Hyrox races launch in India with first event scheduled for 2025 in Mumbai
Hyrox races are a spectator sport with the audience following athletes from start to finish | Photo Credit: Special arrangement They travel the world to pant and sweat through floodlit stadiums, lugging kettle bells and pounding race tracks. What is…
This Bengaluru software professional covered 518 km in three days to win Ultraman India 2024
There is a certain level of madness to those who dedicate their lives to high-endurance events. After all, there is no glittering cash prize awaiting them at the finish line, no international medal bringing fame. Most often, they get a…
Handloom sari walk to be held in Visakhapatnam on August 4
Women participating in the Handloom Sari Walk on the beach road in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: V RAJU Visakhapatnam is set to host a vibrant celebration with a three-kilometre sari walk along Beach Road, ahead of National Handloom Day (August…
How to pamper the body and mind in Karkidakam month
In shirodhara, a combination of ksheerabala oil is poured onto the forehead and then massaged to keep the stress away | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M Karkidakam, the darkest month marked by heavy rains in the Malayalam calendar that falls between…
CHENNAI | In a sea of drapes, weaves, and colours, women come together for a sari marathon
Participants ahead of the Sari Marathon on Sunday | Photo Credit: AKHILA EASWARAN Weekends are never dull or quiet near Olcott Memorial Higher Secondary School, a stretch that sees marathons, walks and rallies in quick succession. When we head there…
Madras Week | Surfing capital Kovalam near Chennai welcomes its next generation of little surfers
The tide is high. Lean waves lap against the curved shoreline of Kovalam. P Harish, all of seven, has caught sight of a promising wave. He chases after it, and in a quick swerve, tames the to-be giant. His surfboard…
Experience a dapostar workshop in Visakhapatnam, a vibrant fusion of movement and object manipulation
Tarakesh Kolli performing at a dapostar workshop in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Visakhapatnam will experience a new wave of creative expression with the city’s first dapostar workshop. Scheduled to take place this weekend at the VUDA Park, the…
A zone for fitness – The Hindu
Na Murali at his gym, Fitzone in Chennai | Photo Credit: VELANKANNI RAJ B Na Murali’s tryst with fitness began during his teenage years, when he got fascinated with judo, a Japanese martial art. His coach would teach him the…
Try your hand at obstacle course racing at the Wild Warrior Race in Chennai
A still from the previous edition of the race. | Photo Credit: NEERAJ DEV VARMA The earliest known set of obstacle course races (OCR) were created by armies to test the endurance of soldiers in hostile battlegrounds. To run with…
Visakhapatnam gears up for the marathon season with structured training and camaraderie
As the marathon season approaches, the running community of Visakhapatnam is in full gear, preparing with vigour and discipline. Various running groups in the city have embraced a structured approach to training, with emphasis on injury prevention, fitness and fostering…
How to swing a Hanuman gada
“I will not sell to a man with a big belly,” declares Gyanshankul Singh. As multifaceted as he is opinionated, Singh teaches wrestlers at the 490-year-old Swaminathan Akhara in Varanasi, in addition to being a certified strength coach, an arm…
Watch | Fitness coaches are now swinging Hanuman gadas
Watch: Fitness coaches are now swinging Hanuman gadas | Video Credit: The Hindu Akharas, a place of practice for Indian martial arts, are not for everyone. Traditionally a macho, male domain, they demand years of determination, sweat and perseverance. “Boys…
Watch | Chennai’s thriving Ultimate community knows how to work a frisbee
A little after dawn breaks over Elliots beach, there are cones being placed on the sand to demarcate areas to play on. A group of children take on an equally motley crew of teens, passing a frisbee and blocking their…
Milind Soman interview: ‘Endurance sport is a life-changing experience’
Milind Soman with mother Usha and wife Ankita Konwar | Photo Credit: Special arrangement This past spring, Milind Soman and wife Ankita Konwar matched step-for-step running the breadth of Europe. They are back now in Lower Parel, Mumbai, dialling in…
How classical dance and yoga complement each other
In the silence of the music and the stillness of the movement , the expansive space of objectivity unfolds while I dance. In this space, everything seems leisurely, there is no urgency in the unfolding of characters and no visible…
What are the new fitness options in Coimbatore?
Mind Muscle Connection “Fitness is not weight loss,” personal fitness trainer V Manokaran busts the myth as we enter his training studio, Mind Muscle Connection in Avaramaplayam. One you walk past the gleaming rows of kettle bells and dumbbells, what…
A 100 bells and a bike
With road safety awareness in mind, Mumbai cyclist Vijay Malhotra turns into a bell bike man
New Trampoline Park opens at Port Stadium in Visakhapatnam
People enjoying at the newly opened trampoline park and soft play area at Port Stadium in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak If you are looking for high-flying, gravity-defying fun in Visakhapatnam, the newly-opened trampoline park at Vishwanadh Sports Club,…
Reviving tradition: Karrasamu returns to Andhra Pradesh’s martial arts scene
Children practicing karra Samu, a traditional martial arts sport of Andhra Pradesh, at VMRDA Central Park in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: KR Deepak A sudden burst of energy fills the air one evening at VMRDA Central Park. With sticks in…
Summer camp at Visakhapatnam’s Port Stadium offers 25 sports under one roof
Children participating at the summer camp by Vishwanadh Sports Club at Port Stadium in Visakhapatnam. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Whether your child loves to kick the football, revels at archery or is a budding artist at heart, here is…
Chennai | This summer break, try your hand at rowing
At 6am, when much of Chennai experiences its last few REM cycles, a handful of rowers at the Madras Boat Club (MBC) can be seen dragging their boats out of the dock and entering the Adyar river. In twos, fours,…
Wellness on the table – The Hindu
The Jungly Glow Up has various wellness sessions scheduled for attendees. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement As the pandemic continues to reshape our priorities, the spotlight is on health and wellness. Recognising the need to make wellness enjoyable and accessible,…
30 pilots sail at Chennai Harbour to celebrate women’s day
Pilots from Indigo dip their feet as they sail at the Chennai Harbour. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement At the Spring Haven Wharf where Chennai’s violent summer sun has settled comfortably in the sky, a group of pilots, accustomed to…
Chennai | Gear up for WCCG Aalam Deepam Duathlon to run, ride and take home a medal
Participants at pervious editions of the WCCG Aalam Deepam Duathlon | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement When the fourth edition of WCCG’s (Chennai Cycling Group) Aalam Deepam Duathlon took place in 2023, the city was still reeling from the grips of…
Marathon on the world’s highest frozen lake
Dr Umesh Bhammarkar at Pangong | Photo Credit: Special arrangement This month (February 2024), Dr Umesh Bhammarkar from Hyderabad ran one of the most difficult marathons. He ran on the frozen Pangong Lake (world’s highest saltwater lake) in Leh Ladakh. The…
Marathon on the world’s highest frozen lake
Dr Umesh Bhammarkar at Pangong | Photo Credit: Special arrangement This month (February 2024), Dr Umesh Bhammarkar from Hyderabad ran one of the most difficult marathons. He ran on the frozen Pangong Lake (world’s highest saltwater lake) in Leh Ladakh. The…
Fitness resolutions slipping away? Know where you are going wrong
At the beginning of every year, a wave of zealous resolutions emerge. Reading, travelling, prioritising mental health, fitness, and weight loss seem to make it to the top of everyone’s list. Motivation peaks and gyms invariably witness a surge in…
Explore Chennai’s new walking trails and discover its growing fitness culture
Chennai’s brief yet wonderful winter mornings are upon us and the streets are teeming with walkers, runners and cyclists, keen to begin or uphold their tryst with good health. It would be a crime to waste this time indoors. If…
Let’s play pickleball: Why this game is growing in popularity in Chennai
What is pickleball? It’s a question that K Mohit Kumar gets often. It’s a question he loves answering. Even as he skilfully chops the ball on a windy Saturday morning at the recently-held South India Pickleball Premier League at Hotfut…
Karkkadakam bathing rituals of Kerala, in a new package
Come mid-July, the skies in Kerala turn grey, the temperature drops and the rain falls without respite. It is the start of Karkkadakam, the last month of the Malayalam calendar. With farming coming to a halt and people forced indoors,…
Drive against unsafe protein powders in gyms in Karnataka being planned
A file photo of a gym. Gym users consume protein powders as dietary supplements to gain muscle mass. | Photo Credit: Representational photo Karnataka Government would launch a special drive to create awareness among fitness enthusiasts who frequent gyms about…
‘Talking Fingers’ is a book by autistic individuals that displays the thinking minds
A collage of the authors who contributed to ‘Talking Fingers’ | Photo Credit: Special arrangement In my mind, I’m hopeful that in times to come I’ll be able to control my thoughts. I can’t control my movements always, so others…
Polo in India: How the sport is drawing new spectators
With corporate sponsors and a growing number of riding clubs in the country, polo is no longer a sport pursued only by royals and cavalry officers. Despite its costly tag, an increasing number of riders are keen to swing the…
Bengaluru’s bikers pick their favourite bicycling destinations in and around the city
Bikers at Nandi Hills | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Bengaluru’s ‘bicycle mayor’ Sathya Sankaran reckons the bicycling community here is no less vibrant than the ones in other cities. As a hobby, biking has been fast-growing in Bengaluru especially since…
Alarming rise in breast cancer cases in India
Dr Raghuram | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Picture this: According to a study by Globocon 2020, In India, every four minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. With some 1,78,000 new cases being diagnosed every year, the incidence of…
Actor Ramya Subramanian on her weight loss journey
Actor Ramya Subramanian | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Mozhi actor Ramya Subramanian, who made her debut as an anchor at the age of 15, says she faced body shaming that forced her to resort to extreme measures, from cutting back…
National recognition to Telangana woman on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Padmavathi Pottabathini | Photo Credit: Special arrangement A journey that started as a search to find her feet steered her towards becoming a support to people with special needs. Set to receive the national award for the Empowerment of Persons…
Ahead of 2023, here are five stories that prove it’s never too late to learn something new
Latha Srinivasan: Dream Run At this year’s National Masters Athletics Championships, Latha Srinivasan, 62, won three silver medals — in 5K, 1500m, and 800m. She finished her first marathon last year. At an age when most people retire from sports…
Have a New Year resolution? Here’s how you can keep at it
Sakshi Malik, first Indian female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics My Resolution: As a sportsperson I am physically fit as I train throughout the year and eat right. This year, to further enhance my physical and mental wellbeing…
When age is just a number
When many men his age struggle to walk without support, Air Marshal P. V. Iyer (retired), goes for a run every morning. At 93, he stands ramrod straight and gives a firm handshake to send across a message. Age is…
Want to hover over water? Try these two new watersports in Chennai
Ride the waves Vipin Chourey glides and then flies over the backwaters making it look like a miracle. But he is actually on an eFoil board, slicing through the waters. A new introduction to Chennai’s water sport scene, eFoiling is…
‘My kidney won! Hey actually, both my kidneys won!’
My kidney has won!” Anil Srivatsa mouthed that wacky line, one certain to have struck a ludicruous note anywhere else, but not on that day in Newcastle. He could expect only smiling acknowledgements from every direction. At this games which…
play mini golf in chennai’s alwarpet
A panoramic image of the Old Course at St. Andrew’s, Scotland is plastered across the putting green | Photo Credit: Preethi Ajit As the golf ball rolls, its pace resembles the slow inertia of the sport. Usually played over four…
Run, cycle, and raise funds: The annual Chennai Cyclists Aalam Deepam Duathlon is here
Early risers and morning joggers along the ECR are used to a fluorescent green helmet gliding down every day at 4am. Wearing it is Priya D, a member of WCCG (Chennai Cycling Group started by Divagaran Thiyagarajan), who cycles every…
Sail on the Bay of Bengal in Chennai this summer and fill up on some vitamin sea
Sailboats taking part in the Unifi Capital Offshore Regatta 2023 It has only been half an hour since the last of the sailboats has arrived at Chennai harbour after the finals of the second edition of the Unifi Capital Offshore…
Chennai’s first CBD clinic focussing on medical cannabis and integrative healing opens. We get a first look
CBD oil in tea | Photo Credit: iStock images Access to the city’s first medical cannabis clinic is via a steep, winding staircase, leading from a busy tattoo studio. It feels appropriately niche, given the tumultuous history and notoriety of…
Senior women are taking to dance as they discover the benefits of movement
Clockwise from bottom left: Binu Harikumar, Usha Mohan, Radhika Mijulal and Lakshmi Vishwanathan, dancers at Dharani School of Performing Arts in Kochi, Kerala | Photo Credit: Special arrangement “The moment of seniors taking to dance has come,” says Geetha Mathen….
Trivandrum Ultimate, the Thiruvananthapuram chapter of Ultimate Frisbee, promotes the sport for youth empowerment
Dawn is breaking on Shangumukham beach in Thiruvananthapuram. Emil Thomas Sony launches a frisbee into one of his trademark long throws to his team’s cutter Madhav Dev, who runs and dives into the end zone of the field to catch…
What health means to under 25s across India
Manoj Sakunthalan, 24, is Tamil Nadu state medallist in Karate. He started learning karate at the age of five from his father and brother, both of whom are national medallists. From Madurai, Manoj now teaches more than 30 students in…
Young Indian adults coping with health issues post-pandemic
We’ve entered a post-COVID world, but one that has left India’s youth with a set of health challenges in its wake. A generation of under-25s saw major milestones through the pandemic: some became adults over the last three years, some…
Kerala Ultimate team at the national flying disc tournament, Bharat Trophy, being held at Hyderabad
Kerala Ultimate practise session at Kochi as they prepare for the Bharat Tournament scheduled to be held in Hyderabad from June 2 to June 4 | Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT A team of 26 players is set to represent Kerala…
A World Bicycle Day campaign in Kochi to mobilise support to turn Pipeline Road as the city’s first ‘cycling priority’ road
Vehicles parked on designated cycle tracks, painted green by CSML, on the Rajendra Maidan-Abraham Madamakkal Road corridor, leave no space for cyclists. | Photo Credit: H. Vibhu The United Nations declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day to acknowledge the…
World Bicycle Day: SheCycling campaign empowers women by teaching them to ride a bicycle
Inmates of Sri Chitra Home in Thiruvananthapuram learn how to ride a bicycle | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT As always Prakash P Gopinath, Bicycle Mayor of Thiruvananthapuram, has several plans to encourage more people to enjoy the ride, on a…
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This medal-winning athlete from Chennai re-enters sports after 20 years, hoping to inspire his sons
Naveen wearing his medals and holding the Indian flag Each time athlete and entrepreneur Percival Naveen Howie enters the field, he enters with a yearning to inspire his sons. So, when he picked up the shot put at the 2023…
Interview | Muthamizh Selvi, the first woman from TN to summit Mount Everest
N Muthamizh Selvi at the Everest summit | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement At 12.20 a.m. on May 23, N Muthamizh Selvi, a teacher of Japanese from Tamil Nadu, was among the first people to summit Mount Everest for the day….
Meet Madhuri Palli, the first female runner from Andhra Pradesh to complete the gruelling Comrades Marathon
Madhuri Palli, the first female runner from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to have completed the grueling Comrades Marathon in South Africa. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT “The atmosphere during the run was electrifying with people of all age groups cheering…
Coimbatore gets LuLu’s first hypermarket in Tamil Nadu
LuLu Hypermarket | Photo Credit: Siva Saravanan S The first impression takes your breath away. Day two at the newly-opened LuLu Hypermarket, located at Lakshmi Mills Compound on Avinashi Road is nothing short of a celebration. It’s 6pm and the…
Tamil Nadu at the Comrades Marathon | Six runners speak about clocking the gruelling 87.7 km run
(From Right) Erika Patel, Chandrasekhar G, Vasu Rangachary, Dharmendar Bafna, Rose Naidu, Yasmin Gulab The road to success at the gruelling Comrades Marathon in South Africa is pock-marked with perseverance, sweat, and tireless hours of running. People from around the…
Watch | Want to learn how to swim in the sea? Chennai’s open water swimming instructors answer
Minutes before getting dropped off mid-ocean at Kovalam (Covelong) for our first open water swimming lesson, Murthy Megavan, the founder of Murthy Surf School, tells me that I am to strap on my life jacket and wait at a spot…
Two Visakhapatnam girls to represent India in freestyle artistic skating in Asian Games
Visakhapatnam girls Dontara Greeshma and Akula Sai Samhitha who will be representing India at the Asian Games in the free style artistic skating event to be held in China. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement It’s a sunny morning at Dhelpur,…
Fun meets fitness at the newly launched BOUNCE adventure park in Bengaluru
As I inched closer to the top of the 10-foot high climbing wall at the Bounce indoor adventure park, a scene from The Dark Knight Rises came to mind, where Bruce Wayne escapes an underground prison with a death-defying leap….
How trekking companies in India are redefining luxury with gourmet meals and massages
At 6.45am on an uneventful day in July, seven trekkers and I wished each other cheery ‘good mornings’ at our campsite in Trunkhol, Kashmir, some 3,500 metres above sea level. Amidst idyllic rolling green meadows where horses grazed, we sat…
Meet these tailors from Thoothukudi who are stand up paddling champions
R Muthukutti who won the Palk Bay Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP) championship. R Muthukutti, V Muthumariammal and R Ramalakshmi have never lived by the sea. Two out of them do not swim and have barely had the chance to…
Is rock climbing picking up as a fitness option in India?
On the first trip to a bouldering gym, apprehension takes over. As you step into your shoes and warm up for your first climb, the feeling persists. But once you conquer your first boulder, the feeling of accomplishment leaves you…
63-year-old homemaker from Kochi wins four gold medals at the recently concluded International Powerlifting Federation championships at Ulaanbaatar
Reeni Tharakan power lifting at Ulaanbaataar | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT When Reeni Tharakan hit the gym 10 years ago, at 53, it was driven by a desire to lose weight and stay healthy. The last thing on her mind…
Fancy a long walk? Hop, skip, and step towards Chennai’s newly designated 8km Health Walk stretch
There is a steady drizzle at 6.30am and when I look up, the skies are ominous. I am standing at the corner of Besant Avenue road, next to Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy Park. There is a new addition to that corner…
Age no bar for these inspiring senior Indian women athletes
They may be called India’s late bloomers in the world of sports. It makes them more inspiring. These confident women have displayed skill, grit and determination, practising all year round to win District, State and National-level sporting competitions. All to…