Meet the Taekwondo Tanejas
HYDERABAD : When you meet sister and brother duo, Myra Taneja and Aashman Taneja, you may dismiss them as cute siblings, but would never imagine they could kick some butt and are Taekwondo champs. When you talk to them, it is even more evident that they are winners from the word go. Like a champ, a grown up, Aashman, 6, says “Success is no accident. It is a result of hard work, dedication, passion and most of all love for what I am doing.” This little champ from the city is the youngest Guinness World Record Holder for his feat in this martial art.
His mother Monica Taneja says, “At the age of five, he has achieved a milestone in the sport and is preparing to compete at the international and Olympic level.” Aashman is a USA World Open Taekwondo silver medalist A Yellow Belt in Taekwondo, he shows a natural affinity towards the martial art, thanks to his flexible body.
at a sports event
He trains for two hours every day under Grand Master M Jayanth Reddy (8 th Dan Black Belt, 29 times Guinness World Holder and 12 times US Presidential award holder). Incidentally, Jayanth Reddy is the founder and chairman of Infinio Taekwondo World. Aashman, one could say, had it slightly easy as he got inspired by his sister Myra, 10, and a Green Belt holder.
“Getting your kids into athletics and giving the sport a long term commitment is fraught with hard work and sacrifices. Ashish is a logistics professional and I am a homemaker who is busy picking and dropping the kids. But we leave no stone unturned to give our children the right opportunities,” says Monica. The children, who study in a local school, train for two hours a day for four times a week. Sundays are about extra training. While Ashman is a sprinter, Myra plays basket ball and swims.
“These games increase mobility and flexibility which is necessary for Taekwondo,” says Myra. She started learning Taekwondo at the age of five as a self-defense technique. She got selected for the India Taekwondo team for US World Open Championship and won four medals in four categories (2 Gold/1silver/1Bronze) at US World open Taekwondo championship.
A three-time Guinness World Record holder in the martial art, she also received a personal Letter of Recognition from the Honorary Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hyderabad. “Again, Myra got inspired from her dad Ashish Taneja, 5th Dan Black Belt holder and has achieved several Guinness World Records,” says Monica. They stay in Nizampet and are locally known as the Taekwondo Tanejas.