VIJAYAWADA: At a very young age, Balam Sirisha knew that yoga was her calling. Guided by the encouragement of her father, B Subbarao, she took up the mission of advocating the therapeutic benefits of yoga, emphasising its ability to heal both body and mind.In the last 15 years, more than 2 lakh people have benefited from her yoga classes.
Her knowledge has extended beyond borders, as she also trains foreigners, currently teaching 500 foreigners online. She also visits 11 schools each year and teaches yoga to students.
A native of Bhimavaram, she has pursued B.Sc, Ph.D., M.Sc, and M. Phil in yoga. In the initial stage, she practised yoga under the guidance of Bhupathi Raju Satyanarayanaraju. Yoga guru Garre Seetharamayya encouraged her to take part in yoga competitions. Under the mentorship of Malisetty Ankhamma Rao, she achieved several medals. She remarks that her journey is not just about personal achievement. She said it is about uplifting others and spreading the transformative power of yoga far and wide.
Through her free yoga classes for the underprivileged and awareness campaigns, she has brought the gift of wellness to those who need it the most. Several of her students have gone on to win national championships, while some of them are taking her knowledge forward by conducting yoga classes.
She told TNIE, “Yoga is not just a physical practice. It is a profound journey of self-discovery and healing. I have witnessed the power of yoga firsthand, using it to overcome stress and cultivate inner peace in my own life. Through yoga, people can learn discipline, cure mental and physical illness. Yoga has helped me a lot to reduce stress. People of any age group can practise it. It also helps in dealing with negative emotions and thoughts within us and helps us focus on the goals we wish to achieve.”
She has represented Andhra Pradesh in many competitions in the 28 to 35 age category and bagged several international and national medals. She bagged a gold medal in the Asia Pacific Yoga Sports Championship held in Thailand in 2023, gold in the National Level Tournament conducted by Saptharishi Yogadhara Sports Academy, and three gold medals in Colombo, Sri Lanka at the International Yoga Championship. She even stood third in the Khelo India event held in Karnataka. She was also selected for the Vietnam Asian Competition and World Cup Competitions.
Additionally, Sirisha also secured a bronze medal in a tournament conducted by the Yoga Federation of India in 2018, a gold medal in the National Level Tournament held in Andhra Pradesh. She stood fourth place in a competition held at Dharmasthali in Nepal in 2017. She is the recipient of the Champion Women Award, Pule National Award, Vishwambhara Jathiya Mahila Award, Ugadi Purashkar, special appreciation award from the Andhra Pradesh government, and the 2023 Uthama Prathibha Puraskar in Hyderabad.
However, Sirisha lamented that she was unable to take part in several international championships due to the lack of sponsors and insufficient funds. “My aim is to take part in international championships and establish my own yoga academy to help people understand its benefits,” Balam Sirisha said.