Figure skating is the most enchanting sporting event in which individuals, duos or groups perform on figure skates generally on ice. It was the first winter sport included in 1908 Olympics . The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. These include the Winter Olympics, the World Championships, the World Junior Championships, the European Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the Grand Prix series (senior and junior).
In India, this captivating sport is picking up fast and we find some enthusiastic youngsters taking up this skill based sport, wherever the facilities exist. There are various forms practiced in figure skating championship. In Maharashtra, there is Inter District state championship for this sport, besides the National Championship at all India level.
Magzmumbai found one such super talented girl , who excels not only in figure skating, but also in studies and extra-curricular activities . Devyangana Sagar has already secured 1st place in Maharashtra State championship from 2011 to 2016, secured 3rd and 2nd place at the National Figure Skating Championships held between 2013 and 2015 and is now preparing hard for the next championship. Having represented India in the World Figure Skating Championship, held in Reus, Spain, in October 2014, she secured 25th place.
Multi talented Devyangana has also won several awards at the Open Chess tournaments for juniors. She also participated in FIDE Chess Tournament held in Singapore. Being a good dancer, she had taken part in various dance competitions including inter school dance competitions. Displaying her other skills, Devyangana has also participated in Inter School Quiz and debate competitions. She has Completed an online (certificate) courses like “The Global Business of Sports”, from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania and “Sports and Recreation Management”, from Sydney, Australia. Academically she has made her school proud scoring 86 % in the 3 tests conducted so far, by the American Scholastic Mathematics Association (ASMA). She was awarded General Proficiency (G.P.) from the 4th till the 10th grade for getting above 85% (2010-2015) by her previous school, Villa Theresa High School, Mumbai-ICSE board, where she was elected the sports captain. And, through the same school, she had Participated in the International Olympiad of Science in 2010.
Above all, she also won the Miss Talented & Miss Popular Awards consecutively in the Personality competitions organised by HR college and Green Lawns School.
“I am in the process of creating a Figure Skating club to groom young students. The initiative has been appreciated and approved by her school . The idea of creating this club, is my brain child,” she says confidently. Devyangana is coached by Miss. Smita Sheth.
Devyangana has also offered to perform voluntary service to IMG Reliance, for the sports events conducted by them. She is focussed on giving back something to her favourite sport. Rarely do we find such students, who take up the responsibility to groom junior school students from their school. No wonder, she was elected the House captain in Cathedral Vidhya School, Lonavala, during the academic year 2015-16. On Devyangana ’s success, her father’s reaction is, “ Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is none, create one and good one. And you will soon translate it into reality.”
At present studying in 12th standard in Cathedral Vidhya School, Lonavala, Devyangana wants to pursue her further studies with specialisation in Sports management . She has morale support coming from her encouraging parents. Magzmumbai wishes Devyangana a bright future.