Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav hasreason to be a proud father. His elder son Akhilesh Yadav at age 39 is chiefminister of Uttar Pradesh while his 25-year-old younger son Prateek has made amark as a body-builder.
Before entering politics, 'netaji' or leader, as MulayamSingh is called by his supporters, was himself famous as a 'pehelwan' or bodybuilder.
In September, the younger Yadav was featured in aninternationally acclaimed body building website as "the internationaltransformation of the month".
The transformation in Prateek left many stunned. His weightdropped from 103-plus kg to 67 kg over the past few years; he has also addedrippling muscles to his 5 feet 11 inch frame.
The transition, Prateek told IANS, happened as a result of apep talk he received from Mulayam Singh over a decade ago.
"I was back from my school in Dehradun with pneumonia.In the course of treatment, steroids were administered, and it led to majorweight gain. By the time I turned 11 years old, I weighed 103 kg."
Netaji asked him to shed weight and told him that if he lost10 kg, he would fetch himself a reward.
"He would chide me and tell me not to gorge on mangoes,and tell me to drink my milk plain, without Bournvita, as weight was becomingsuch a big concern," Prateek says.
Prateek also decided to join a local gymnasium and competewith two other friends in a weight loss race.
All these efforts began to pay off. In time, he stood on theweighing scales and found himself 15 kg lighter.
Ever since, Prateek says, he has maintained a steadydiet-and-exercise regimen.
It helps that he is married to his only love, Aparna, whotoo joins him in his 45-minute "intense work out."
"Now," an excited Prateek says, "There areold friends who think I am my own younger brother!"
There are people who wonder how he has managed to retain thebodybuilder's structure over so long. "It's become a habit now, I don'teven have to try," Prateek says, giving one an insight into his diet andlifestyle.
There are multi-grain 'rotis' and olive oil, and a proteinshake. And all the food he eats is measured. His family now knows just what andhow much he will eat.
Wife Aparna points out that her husband is a vegetarian:"Prateek is a complete vegetarian, a needle-free bodybuilder," shesays, with evident pride.
Prateek explains that he has never had steroids for musclegain; and he says he is proud to demolish the myth that only non-vegetarianscan have rippling muscles.
"I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. I am vegetarian,and my body is here for all to see!"
And how does his father react to Prateek's bodybuildingfeat?
"Obviously, he is elated. He is a busy man, and we onlyget to meet late at night. He then has time to share some time-testedbodybuilding techniques," Prateek says.
"Papa has his own way of explaining fitness: a man'schest should be the thing thrust out, not his belly, he says. And one shouldnever entirely satisfy one's hunger, one should eat just a wee bit less. Thoseare his tips," says Prateek.
With 18.25 biceps to show, Prateek now has a new mission: hewould like to propagate the vegetarian-as-bodybuilder notion and see morebodybuilders go veggie.
And how does he feel to be so apolitical in a family ofleading politicians?
Politics only interested him ever when he was eight yearsold, Prateek says.
"I would see my father on TV, and then try to imitatehim: 'Brothers and sisters, I am now just a young boy...' my speech would go,the young man says, chuckling.
And what does he have to say about his father Mulayam SinghYadav and brother Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav?
"Netaji has a great memory, he rememberseveryone," says Prateek. "Akhilesh bhaiyya has a vision, he wantsmuch changed," he says.
A beautiful body, and politically correct: that's Prateek.