Roller Skating has gained popularity in Mysuru with Mysore District Roller Skating Association being active in conducting tournaments from time to time.

There are many Roller Skaters from city like Dr. Varsha Puranik, Rea Achaiah and Omkar Yogaraj who have excelled in this sport which was once only a recreational event. Mysuru Skaters have gone on to represent the country in Ice-Skating and Speed Skating events at the International-level as well.

Here are two more young skaters who are eyeing to join that list of athletes to make it big in Roller Skating — K.L. Bhargav, a engineering student and B.S. Varshini, a 7th standard student. They both train under Ekalavya Awardee K. Srikanth Rao at Rao’s and Vishwamitra Roller Skating Club, Unnathinagar, Mysuru.

K.L. Bhargav

K.L. Bhargav, studying engineering (second year) in Vidyavardhaka College of Engineering, Gokulam, is the son of K.R. Lokesh and Jaya couple, residents of Tonachikoppal, Mysuru.

A native of Koppa of Turuvekere taluk in Tumakuru, Bhargav is being trained under K. Srikanth Rao since last eight years.

Bhargav started participating in Tournaments since 2004. Since then, he has contested thrice in Ice Skating Championships  and has won two medals, thrice in National Championships and has won one medal, 13 times in State-level Championships and has won 28 medals, 13 times in District-level Championships and has won 42 medals and twice in ‘Dasara Contests’ and has won 5 medals (27 Gold, 29 Silver and 22 Bronze medals).

Medal Tally: Three Bronze medals in Junior category of South East Asian (SEA) Open Short Track Trophy 2020 Championship held in Singapore recently — 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters Ice Skating; Silver and Bronze medals respectively in senior category 500 meters and 1,000 meters Ice Skating at the National Speed Skating Championship organised by Ice Skating Association of India on Dec.30 and Dec.31, 2018; Silver medal in Speed Skating Championship held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on Feb. 21, 2010; Gold and Silver medal respectively in State-level Skating Championship held in Mysuru from Dec. 4 to Dec. 7, 2009; Gold in State-level Skating Championship in 2006; Gold and Silver in 25th State-level Roller Skating Championship in 2009; Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively in 15,000 meters, 10,000 meters and 1,000 meters at the State-level Speed Roller Skating Championship held on Aug.12, 2014; Gold and Bronze respectively in 10,000 meters and 1,000 meters at the State-level Speed Roller Skating Championship held from Nov. 24 to Nov. 27, 2016.

One Gold and two Silver medals in District-level Roller Skating Championship held on May 9 and 10, 2009; Gold, Silver and Bronze medals each in 20th District-level Roller Skating Championship held from Oct. 23 to 25, 2009; Three Gold medals in 300 meters, 500 meters and 1,000 meters at Mysuru District-level Roller Skating Tournament held from Nov. 2 to 4, 2010; One Gold and two Silver medals in 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters at the District-level Roller Skating Championship held on Sept. 10 and 11, 2011.

Apart from skating, he has also participated and won numerous prizes in school and college level drawing competitions.

B.S. Varshini

B.S. Varshini, daughter of B.S. Saravana and Geeta, who are residing in J.P. Nagar in city, is a seventh standard student of JSS Public School, J.P. Nagar. A native of Bettahalasuru of Yelahanka, Bengaluru, Varshini started training under Rao when she was just 4-year-old.

A child prodigy, she has bagged 20 Gold, 12 Silver and 4 Bronze medals in both Roller Skating and Ice Skating Tournaments within a span of five years.

She has bagged one Gold and two Silver medals at the 30th District-level Roller Skating Championship held in Mysuru on Sept. 1, 2019; two Silver and one Bronze medals at Open State Speed Skating Championship held in Mysuru on June 21, 2019; Silver medals in 500 meters and 1,000 meters at Third Open Skate Speed Roller Skating Championship organised by Shivamogga City Corporation on Oct. 5 and 6, 2019; a Silver medal in District-level Roller Skating Tournament in 2018; two Gold and one Silver medals at the 29th District-level Roller Skating Tournament held in Mysuru from Oct. 26 to 28, 2018; two Gold and one Silver medals at the 28th District-level Roller Skating Tournament held from Oct. 15 to 17, 2017; a Gold and a Silver each at the Inter-Club Roller Skating Tournament held in Bengaluru on Mar. 8, 2014; two Gold medals in Sept.27, 2015; one Gold and two Silver medals at the 27th District-level Roller Skater Tournament held in Mysuru on Nov.12 and 13, 2017 and a Gold medal during Club-level Championship held in Bengaluru in August 2012.

Besides Skating, Varshini is also training in Karate under Sunil Kumar for the past one-and-a-half years and has bagged several medals and was recently awarded Black Belt.

During recently held 21st Shorin Kai National Republic Day Cup in Arkalgud, Hassan, Varshini bagged first prize in the Black Belt category.

Varshini has won Silver medals in Kata and Kumite of District-level Inter-School Karate Championship held in Mysuru on Feb. 29, 2020; first prize in Sixth Summer Karate Championship held in Mysuru on Apr.14, 2019 and seven trophies including Silver and Bronze medals respectively in Kata and Kumite categories of 20th Shorin Kai National Karate Championship held in Nanjangud on Dec.28 and Dec. 29, 2019.