VISAKHAPATNAM: Eat less, move more -- that is the mantra that 101-year-old Vallabhajosyula Sriramulu, a naval veteran and an athlete, swears by. An avid mountaineer, he recently made headlines by winning three gold medals at the World Masters Athletics Championship in Sweden. Competing in the 100-year category, he excelled in the javelin throw, discus throw, and shot put, standing out among nearly 8,000 athletes from 110 countries who participated in the championship from August 13 to August 25.
Born in Machilipatnam on July 18, 1923, Sriramulu joined the Royal Indian Navy in March 1944 during World War II, following a brief tenure as an auditor in the Military Accounts Department. His naval career spanned over 35 years, and after retiring, he spent eight years working with the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) before settling in Vizag.
In addition to a room full of medals, another achievement that the master athlete is quite proud of is not having used a walking stick ever.
Gesturing towards the attic he says, “My son bought me a walker when I was 80, and for the last 20 years, it’s been lying up there, untouched.”
To date, Sriramulu has won 15 gold medals, five silver medals, and two bronze medals in Asian competitions, along with eight gold and three silver medals in the World Championships.
Sriramulu participated in numerous national and international competitions. After retiring, he turned to race walking and running and competed in five Asian Masters Athletics competitions and four World Championships.
Sriramulu’s first international competition came in 2010 at the Asian Masters Athletics Championships, where he won gold medals in four events: the 5 km race walk and the 400m, 800m, and 1500m runs. This success paved the way for the World Masters Athletics Championships the following year in Sacramento, California, where he won a gold medal in the 20 km race walk, along with two silver medals in the 5 km and 10 km walks. However, the intense physical strain during the event took a toll on his right knee, forcing him to rest for four years.
“I had to limit myself to walking events after that,” the athlete recalls. “Two of my children, both doctors, strictly advised me to stop running. So, I stuck to walking.”
After recovering in 2015, Sriramulu resumed competing and won a gold medal in the 10 km race walk at the World Championships in Lyons, France. A year later, he bagged three gold medals in the 5 km, 10 km, and 20 km race walks at the World Championships in Perth, Australia. He also gained him the “Athlete of Asia-2016” title.
Sriramulu has also climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa at the age of 79 with his son. His adventurous spirit also led him to the Himalayas, where he trekked to the Everest Base Camp and the Pindari Glacier.
Summing up his approach to life, Sriramulu says: “Live your life rigorously as long as you live without being a burden to your family, friends, or country.”