India, Oct. 22 -- From empowering more than 16,000 girls and women through self-defence training to taking Kerala's ancient martial art of Kalarippayattu to 20 countries, Gurukkal S. Mahesh is making tradition a powerful tool for transformation. Carrying forward a five-generation family legacy dating back to 1896, the founder of Agasthyam Kalari in Nemom, Thiruvananthapuram, is inspiring a new generation to embrace self-confidence, discipline and physical empowerment through his initiative, Shakthi. With training programmes for the Indian Army, CRPF and young people across India, along with international recognition, Mahesh is extending the reach of Kalarippayattu far beyond the kalari's traditional boundaries.

At the heart of Mahesh's m...