A TO Z INDIA ● FEBRUARY 2022 ● PAGE 9
The 93 year old Padma Shri awardee :
93-year-old Unni Gurukkal from Kerala Named for Padma Shri This Year
Santha
On the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day , the government of India announced Padma awardees of the year 2022 , including 93-year-old Sankara Narayana Menon Chundayil , a senior-most practitioner and preserver of Kalari Payattu , the country ’ s oldest martial art form . His selection for the Padma Shri is a new feather in the cap of Kerala . Popularly known as Unni Gurukkal , he hails from the Mudavangattil family that holds the legacy of having led the army of the king of Vettathu Nadu in Malabar .
Even at the age 93 , the Padma Shri awardee is an emblem of fitness and discipline . He started practicing the martial art at the tender age of 6 . He continues to follow his daily routine that starts with a visit to the Kalari center at 5:30 in the morning . He strictly supervises the training there . He goes to bed at 10 pm every day .
He is a seventh-generation Kalari practitioner in the family . His children and grandchildren are among the torchbearers of the legacy . They have traveled across the world and started Kalari centers in the US , the UK , France , Belgium , Sri Lanka , and other countries .
Kalaripayattu is believed to be the oldest surviving martial art designed for the primeval battlefield . The word ' Kalaripayattu ' is a combination of two Malayali words , Kalari ( battleground ) and Payattu ( training of martial arts ). Rituals and philosophies are a part of Kalaripayattu , much like the other Indian martial art forms . This ancient martial art is taught in the Indian Guru-Sishya tradition . Unlike other art forms , Kalaripayattu focuses on teaching weapon techniques first and follows barehanded techniques later .