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.