Yoga Day: Yoga helped this ten-year-old from Assam conquer his laziness, now he is conquering the world with yoga

Sayon Karmakar likes to believe that he wields complete power over his body. It will do the ten-year-old's bidding — bending, stretching, twisting and turning at his will. Bold statement coming from a li'l one? Not really. Because this control didn't come easy, it's actually the gift of yoga. You'll be surprised to know that Sayon, based out of Dhing, Nagaon District, Assam, hasn't always led an active life. The self-confessed "lazy fellow" was experiencing lethargy and lightheadedness that wouldn't exactly classify as normal, which actually led to his mother enrolling him in a yoga class at Arogya Yoga Kendra (run by Arogya Care Foundation) when he was in class III. Under the able guidance of his guru Rup Jyoti Kar, Sayon has no lazy bone left in his body, he is even winning golds and galore in several competitions. "I am proud of my body because of yoga. It's due to this confidence that I take every asana head-on. If I can do it, I do it more. If I can't, I do it better," says the young achiever.
 

Most of the competitions Sayon has participated in have been under the Yoga Federation of India and has been encouraged by its Honorary Secretary Prabhat Chander Bora. The Lifetime Chairman of Assam Yoga Association is Dr Krishna Kumar Bora  

When guru Rup Jyoti Kar spotted the yet-to-be-unleashed talent of this boy wonder, he fast-tracked him to advanced yoga classes. Soon, Sayon was a veteran at the Assam State Yoga Sports Championships, winning as many as five medals in different categories. He tells us that the first couple of competitions - the 43rd National Yoga Sports Championship 2018 in Punjab and the All India Yoga Confederation Cup 2019 at Puri, Odisha — were his most memorable experiences, "These were some of the best experiences I've ever had," says Sayon. But at these high-flying competitions, we wonder if he is a bundle of nerves before getting on stage. "What's there to be nervous about? They are just people, I see people every day. Even if someone laughs, it doesn't really matter to me," says the yoga practitioner. What winning confidence! Confidence that he has built brick-by-brick while mastering asana after asana. 
 

Arogya Care Foundation was registered in 2018 but they have been spreading awareness about yoga much before that

Sayon's guru Rup Jyoti Kar chuckles when we relay to him our conversation with Sayon. "He is a very smart student. He is academically strong and knows how to dance, sing plus has an affinity towards the arts. He talks in such a mature way that he leaves everyone surprised," says the 29-year-old guru, confirming our analysis of him. The founder of the Arogya Care Foundation also informs us that Sayon is a lot calmer and more composed since he started practising yoga. 

Favourite asana: Purna Chakrasana

About the asana: 
Also known as Complete Wheel Pose, it's when you bend backward completely and hold your ankles

How it's done:
- First, get into the position of Chakrasana (flexing backward)
- Exhale very slowly and reach for your ankles
- The crown of your heads should be near your hips
- Your hands and legs should be perfectly stretched out

Benefits:
Strengthens legs, increases the stamina of the entire body, strengthens thighs, strengthens the back

Why Sayon likes it:
Sayon likes asanas that involve bending backward, which is why he prefers this one