KARIMNAGAR: What does a 74-year-old do after retirement? If you’re S Sampath Kumar, you write 55 books, teach yoga for free and devote your time to building a healthier society. For this retired teacher, his post-retirement years have become a mission to make fitness and wellness accessible to all.
Since retiring in 2010, Sampath, a former physical education teacher (PET), karate instructor and yoga master, has intensified his efforts to promote health and wellness through free yoga coaching, healing practices and books. He has authored 55 books on health, yoga, meditation and martial arts and hopes to take the tally to 100.
His works cover yoga asanas, meditation techniques, fitness and traditional martial arts. He has also written three research monographs on the dialects in Telangana, documenting the region’s distinctive words, expressions, accents and meanings.
Beyond writing, Sampath offers free yoga coaching and guides people dealing with ailments such as spondylitis and back pain through yoga practices and health advice. His classes also emphasise teamwork, strength, discipline and physical and mental well-being.
Continuing to explore new dimensions of yoga, he teaches Pavana Yoga, which includes floating on water as a practice. With knowledge of around 500 yoga asanas, he plans to document them in another book. He also hopes to take yoga to IT professionals, whose sedentary work routines can affect their health.
“My intention is to distribute knowledge among people, help them stay healthy and ultimately build a healthy society,” Sampath told TNIE, appealing to people to support his mission.
Among his notable works are Dhyanam Lothullo, Telangana Pada Vaibhavam, Arogya Yoga, Telangana Palle Parimalam and Karate Nerchukundam.