ONGOLE: Even in her mid-40s, Dola Syamala Devi has been proving her mettle in sports and bagged a total of three international medals in the 2nd edition of Asia-Pacific Masters Games which were held in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea.
Pursuing her career as a Physical Education Teacher (PET) in a government high school in Markapur town of Prakasam district, this 43-year-old has won two silver medals, one each in 80m hurdles and triple jump, and one bronze medal in 400m hurdles.
This achievement has given her an extra boost and now aims to train her students for various national and international tournaments, bringing fame to the district.
Recently, Syamala’s student Parvathi got selected for the Andhra Pradesh Kabaddi team, and other students Sirisha, Bhavani, Farhana, Vasavi, Ramya Sri and Leelavathi got the opportunity to compete in the national gymnastics tournament on behalf of the AP team.
Donning multiple hats, Syamala Devi is also well-known as a folklore poet, lyricist, singer and composer. Recognising her talent, the then Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh, the district Collector, DEO and local leaders felicitated Syamala Devi for her skills in sports and cultural activities.
Balancing her sports career, Syamala Devi also actively takes part in social activities such as bringing awareness among people about child abuse, child marriages, girl education, women empowerment and others. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she conducted health awareness campaigns through folklore plays in villages.
Belonging to a poor Scheduled Caste family from Chirala town in Prakasam district, Syamala Devi got married right after completing her Intermediate. Even though her husband, Patibandla Kasaiah is daily wage labour, he recognised the hidden talent of Syamala Devi and supported her in every step.
With the enormous encouragement received from her husband and daughters Jhanvi (18) and Lakshya (13), Syamala Devi successfully underwent PET training in Domalguda in Hyderabad of Telangana state and completed BPEd and MA Sociology at Acharya Nagarjuna University.