News Karnataka-Exclusive
A well known name in the field of Skating, Mahesh Kumar is the person who made Roller Skating a conventional and acceptable game in the nation. Being served as a coach for a club; his footprints have crossed milestones, besides this he remained as the state, national and international coach.
Whether it is a criticism from people around him about his career choice or his parents or his right leg fracture, with his profound enthusiasm he has conquered all such stumbling blocks in his career.
Pursuing his interest, Mahesh joined the Garden Skating Club at Bangalore for further training. He started his career while becoming a coach for a month at the popular club in Mangalore, where he wanted to join as a trainee, but later he was approached by the club to become a coach of their Skating camp.
Shortly, he started Mangalore Skating Club in 1991 as his own initiative after giving coaching at his skating classes at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
Capturing few moments from the past he cites, “Initially, I started coaching with one student gradually to 20 students, few of them participated in all India competition at Bangalore and bagged first silver medal to Dakshina Kannada.”
Moreover, he feels proud about his daughter Sharanya Mahesh, who won two bronze medals at 14th Asian Roller Skating Championships in China.
In 2006, he proposed a plan to commence a first-rate skating rink in the city, given that he struggled for it and finally its floor got completed in year 2009 at city’s Kadri park, since then skating classes have been shifted there.
“I haven’t been felicitated by the government till now after serving and nurturing this sport in the country in last two decades. Also, government is least bothered as well as enthusiastic about endowing several amenities for further development of skating rink in park,” he laments.
Presently, Mahesh teaches at seven private schools in the city. Expressing grief on lack of support and encouragement he says, “Teachers in few schools do not take skating as a serious or a competitive sport, henceforth parents of the children as well.”
Apart from schools, he dedicates his training time to mentally challenged students to learn skating as free of cost. And, with his perseverance; two of his mentally challenged students won silver medals at National level competition.
In year 2002, he was appointed as a coach for the Indian team in Chennai, where he trained seven skaters, who participated in Summer World Games at Dublin in 2003 and consequently won 14 medals in the competition.
Besides, his students won gold medals at Greece Olympics in the year 2011.
Moreover, he shares key benefits of roller skating:
-Skating helps a person to stay physically fit as it is a good exercise.
-Skating shares the same benefits likewise one reaps through walking, swimming, playing tennis, cycling, skiing and jogging.
-Skating is good for children as it helps them stay physically and mentally fit.
-Roller skating also provides immediate relief to back pain, and sprain in the legs.
-It even improves blood circulation and oxygen supply is highest during skating
