By Y.D. Shekar

Presenting the Kung fu family of Mysuru — if the man in the family loves Kung fu, trekking, cycling, yoga and running, his wife and daughter are Bharatanatyam exponents and have also dabbled their hands in Kung fu. Not to leave  behind the youngest in the family, the 6-year-old boy who too has started learning Kung fu.

Forty-five-year-old Vasudevacharya, a martial art lover and an advocate of outdoor activities has made it a point to introduce his family to martial arts as he believes that physical activities, especially Kung fu, ups the health quotient of a person. His wife Shwethambari, a home-maker, daughter Samanvitha and son Samavartha, both studying at Acharya Vidya Kula, too agree with him and follow the rigorous physical activities as part of their routine.

Vasudevacharya hails from Udupi and is the son of Raghavendra Acharya and Sudha Acharya. Working as a Senior Programme Manager at a private company in the city, Vasudevacharya developed a keen interest in martial arts at a young age and he enrolled himself in karate. He secured a Black Belt in Budokan Karate while doing his engineering. Impressed by the physical abilities he secured with karate, Vasudevacharya went to USA and China to obtain a year-long special training in Kung fu in 2003. He is an expert in Kung fu now and can provide professional training to aspiring candidates.

After their family shifted from Bengaluru to Mysuru, they began their training and practice at Indian Martial Arts Kung fu Academy and are being trained by S. Mohan in ‘Udang’ style. “I want my family members to realise the importance of physical activities to be fit and mentally strong,” he says.

Apart from Kung fu, Vasudevacharya is into yoga, cycling and trekking. Once a week he goes cycling along the Ring Road with his friends. He also has many national and international awards to his credit.