Standing upside-down from childhood brings pre-teen Aavya Anan into Khelo India spotlight

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: Aavya Anan of Bihar, the youngest gymnast at the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar decided to turn things – quite literally – upside down. Aavya’s journey in gymnastics began with this peculiar habit: the little girl loved standing on her head, legs in the air, flipping and arching with joy in her living room.

It is interesting to hear youngest Khelo India gymnast speak about finding her calling. “I didn’t know Gymnastics is a sport,” Aavya giggles. “I just liked staying upside down. My parents saw me doing arches and flips while I used to watch dance shows on television at home and decided to introduce me to Gymnastics”

Aavya’s name means the first rays of the sun and her mother believes that her daughter will shine on the Indian gymnastics firmament someday. A class 4 student, she has been training for just 18 months at the Rising Youth Gymnastics Academy in Patna, under the watchful eyes of coach Roshan Yadav. She won two gold and a silver in the 2025 State Championships.

“This is my first Khelo India Games and I’m keen on giving my best. I’m not thinking that about defeating others, but I’m just focused on giving my best and not be nervous. If I don’t win a medal now, I’ll win the next time,” Aavya said with a quiet confidence of a mature athlete. She is competing in Artistic Gymnastics events here.

Coach Roshan Yadav, a former gymnast, believes she’s a prodigy. “She is very talented, and her body structure is built for gymnastics. She picks things up really quickly, trains long hours with great endurance,” he said. “Despite being so young, she will give the more experienced gymnasts a run for their money.”

Her determination is matched by the unwavering support of her parents, who stand out in a region where sports is often overlooked in favour of academics. “If my family hadn’t supported me, I wouldn’t be here. Many girls don’t get this chance. But my mom and dad told me—do what you like. Make your own name,” Aavya added.

Roshan is himself a product of the Khelo India Scheme and has been a trainee at the SAI National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata. He has now returned to Bihar and opened a Gymnastics centre. “I wanted to raise the standard of Gymnastics in Bihar. My name is Roshan, and with Aavya, Bihar will be shine brighter in Gymnastics.”

At the moment, the nine-year-old is paving a path for every little girl who dares to stand on her head and look at the world differently. Aavya’s dream is simple yet powerful: “I want to be known as a Gymnastics girl! Not just in Bihar, but all over India.”