Anvi Zanzrukia: A Yoga Champion's Journey
Anvi Zanzrukia, an 18-year-old from Gujarat, has become one of India's most celebrated young yoga practitioners despite being born with Down's syndrome and undergoing open-heart surgery at three months of age. She can perform 101 asanas in five minutes, a feat that has earned her national recognition and awards from the President of India.
Anvi's journey began with health struggles. As an infant, she suffered from intestinal issues and sleeplessness, often lying on her chest with legs bent backwards. Her parents noticed her unusual flexibility and turned to yoga as a therapeutic measure. "We thought of trying yoga, hoping that a body so flexible might also heal," recalls her mother, Avani.
Yoga as Healing
Her father, Vijay Zanzrukia, a municipal school principal, and mother Avani, a school teacher, started yoga for Anvi's health. "She had intestinal problems, so we started yoga for her health, and it worked," Vijay says. "It was Avani's care and effort that made her a champion, even with such limitations."
Her yoga trainer, Namrata Verma, describes the early challenges: "At first, it was hard. Anvi couldn't understand what was being asked, so I would train her by holding and moving her through the poses. Before she began practising yoga, hospital visits were a regular part of her life. Later, they became rare."
Recognition and Awards
Anvi's talent gained national attention when Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted her abilities in his radio programme "Mann Ki Baat," referring to her as the 'Rubber Girl.' She received an award from the President in 2020 for her yoga prowess, followed by the PM Rashtriya Bal Puraskar in 2022 and the Gujarat Garima Award the same year. "She might be the only person with these many health complications but has such prestigious awards as well," Vijay says proudly.
A chapter on her success is included in a Marathi-language textbook, and she features in about 25 books on success stories.
Beyond Yoga
Today, yoga remains central to Anvi's life, but she has also taken up swimming. After success in national-level events, the family is preparing for the Special Olympics 2027, hoping she will earn selection.
Preserving Musical Heritage in Vadodara
In Vadodara, two families are preserving rare musical traditions that trace back to the princely state of Baroda. The Gaekwad family has kept the jal tarang and other instruments alive for generations, while the Mistry family has crafted rudra veenas for over 150 years.
Dattatray Gaekwad, 77, the eldest of four sons of court musician Gangadhar Gaekwad, learned tabla, jal tarang, and shehnai from his father. He now trains his sons Aalap and Sarang, who balance music with careers in information technology. "It's the greatest gift a father can give his children," Aalap says.
Kishor Mistry, 68, became the first artisan in India chosen for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for rudra-veena making. His son Dhaval, 34, has brought rudra-veena making back to Vadodara after nearly a century, restoring old instruments and crafting many for the Tana Riri Museum in Vadnagar.
The Last Manbhatt
Dharmiklal Pandya, 94, is regarded as the only surviving Manbhatt in India, a tradition of narrative recitals combining poetry, music, and storytelling from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas. He began performing at age 25 after his father's death and has presented over 2,500 recitals. His sons Pradyumna and Mayank continue the tradition, and the third generation, including Neh, Rutvik, and Yash Pandya, perform Akhyan despite corporate careers. "People now ask what a Manbhatt is and what Akhyan means," Dharmiklal says, noting that a Padma Shri brought recognition after decades of performance.
