Page 37 - EW-January-2026

Young Achievers

by example. Watching him Nandini (2024).
push himself under extreme The younger of two children of
stress stimulated me to set ever Om Prakash Singh, assistant general
higher goals. However since manager at BSNL, and Dr. Pratibha
I moved to London last year Singh, senior environment associate
with my parents, I manage in Uttar Pradesh’s pollution control
my schedule which includes board, Aarna was an early age par-
nutrition planning, strength ticipant in a range of sports and co-
workouts, swimming drills, curricular activities including mixed
and endurance runs, indepen- martial arts, gymnastics, Kathak and
dently,” says Renee, who also Bharatnatyam dance, and writing.
balances her academics with Yet the turning point came dur-
sport by making time to attend ing the Covid pandemic lockdown.
late morning online classes. Inspired by her yoga practitioner
For the near future, this grandfather Bharat Kumar Singh’s
endurance sports athlete has hour-long classes for Aarna and her
set her targets. “My goal is to cousins, regular practice crystallised
RENEE NORONHA compete in an Ironman race in every into deep commitment to learning
the nuances of this traditional Indian
continent, qualify for the Ironman
World Championship in Kona (Ha- mind and body wellness activity.
London-based data science waii, USA) in October 2026 and run Aarna’s hours of hard practice
remote learning undergrad the iconic Comrades Ultra Marathon have paid off. In January, she was
A of the Indian Institute of (90 km) in South Africa — all before conferred the Best Youth Nation
Technology (IIT)-Madras, Renee I turn 21. Someday, I hope to start Builder Award at SPORTOPIA, held
Noronha (19) is steadily shaping an NGO to financially support and in Lucknow. Last October, she was
into an endurance sports (triathlon, mentor underprivileged girls inter- adjudged #1 in the National Yoga
marathon, ironman races) cham- ested in endurance sports,” says this Competition held in Jamshedpur
pion. never-say-die iron woman. under the aegis of the Council for the
On June 1, she finished her Indian School Certificate Examina-
second full Ironman races — a 3.8 Shivani Chaturvedi (Chennai) tions in the U-14 Girls Individual
km swim, 180 km bicycle ride and a Rhythmic category. Till date, young
full 42.1 km marathon run — at the Aarna’s medals tally stands at over
Hamburg European Championship AARNA OM SINGH 100 across district, state, national
2025 to finish among the Top 15 in and international competitions.
her age group. This achievement Looking ahead, Aarna aspires
followed her record-setting debut class VII student of Luc- to wear India colours at the Com-
at a Ironman race in New Zealand know’s top-ranked City monwealth and Olympic Games. “I
on March 2 (2024). It’s notewor- A Montessori School, Gomti am super excited that India is set to
thy that Ironman races are widely Nagar Campus, Aarna Om Singh host the 2030 Commonwealth, and
regarded as the toughest endurance (12) is captivating audiences in India encouraged to learn that the sports
test on planet Earth. and abroad with her extraordinary ministry will push for yoga as an
Born and raised in Mumbai by achievements in the ancient Indian official Commonwealth and Olympic
a sports loving family — her sister practice of yoga. Last September, she sport. Till then, I will keep practis-
Tia is the national artistic skating was crowned ‘Champion of Cham- ing and signing up for competitions
champion — Renee’s entry into pions’ at the Universal Yoga Sports to improve continuously,” says this
endurance sports began at age 16 Federation’s Asia Pacific Yogasana enthusiastic yoga champ.
when she won a children’s Ironman Sports Championship staged in Kua- Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)
event in Goa. “After spending over a la Lumpur (Malaysia). Additionally,
decade as an artistic gymnast, often she was awarded a gold medal
training up to eight hours daily, I in traditional yogasana and a
was instantly drawn to the blend silver in artistic yogasana.
of endurance, strategy and mental That’s not all. This young
strength of a triathlon challenge,” yoga exponent has set two
recalls this gritty late teen. world records earning her
Encouraged by supportive par- entries into the Yogasana
ents to “chase her dreams whole- Book of World Records for
heartedly”, in 2022, Renee started executing 45 cartwheels per
training under the tutelage of certi- minute and 135 cartwheels in
fied Ironman coach Shankar Thapa. 3.56 minutes. And despite not
According to Renee, a support- having entered her teens, she
ive home environment and a sensi- has authored two children’s
tive, dedicated coach are critical for books — A Young Yog Girl
endurance athletes. “My coach leads (2023) and Adventures of Yog

JANUARY 2026 EDUCATIONWORLD 37