This was originally published in Star Of Mysore English Evening Daily on 11th January 2015.
How far can a person go crazy to set or break a record? Our guessing will all go in vain when we meet the record setter M.L. Shivakumar (aged 52), a resident of Vidyaranyapuram in city. Having a grocery store in the locality started by his father around 60 years ago, Shivakumar is a celebrity among his customers, friends and neighbours. He quit his studies when he was in 11th grade and joined hands with his father at the store.
He had made news in June 2008 when he was recognised by the prestigious ‘Limca Book of Records’ for holding 24 chicken eggs in his right hand for almost 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Shivakumar has also made attempts to break world records by stuffing 280 straws in his mouth and holding them there for ten minutes and also by smoking 50 cigarettes at a time!
Records are always meant to be broken and that’s what Shivakumar does. He loves breaking the records that the people around the world have set! His interest in breaking these records started long back during his early days when he used to visit the libraries and read various editions of ‘The Guinness Book of World Records.’
While speaking about his inspiration, Shivakumar said, “I was always inspired by reading about such records which made me think, if they can do, why can’t I?”
According to Shivakumar, he always wanted to achieve something. “My childhood was spent most of the time with myself dreaming about the days when I would appear in the media and earn a good name. The only way was to enter into politics which I always hated,” said Shivakumar while expressing the wacky dreams he had during his teenage years!
He also added, “I started helping my father at our shop when I was just 17 years and from 6 am to 10 pm I used to lend my hands in selling the groceries. I could not concentrate on anything else and thus my dreams had come to a full stop.”
Records are always meant to be broken and that’s what Shivakumar does. He loves breaking the records that the people around the world have set! His interest in breaking these records started long back during his early days when he used to visit the libraries and read various editions of ‘The Guinness Book of World Records.’
While speaking about his inspiration, Shivakumar said, “I was always inspired by reading about such records which made me think, if they can do, why can’t I?”
According to Shivakumar, he always wanted to achieve something. “My childhood was spent most of the time with myself dreaming about the days when I would appear in the media and earn a good name. The only way was to enter into politics which I always hated,” said Shivakumar while expressing the wacky dreams he had during his teenage years!
He also added, “I started helping my father at our shop when I was just 17 years and from 6 am to 10 pm I used to lend my hands in selling the groceries. I could not concentrate on anything else and thus my dreams had come to a full stop.”
Recently, in 2007, Shivakumar came to know that Rob Beaton of United States of America had set a world record of holding 17 eggs in one hand! That’s when his friends forced him to apply for the ‘Limca Book of Records’ to fulfill his long pending dreams! Shivakumar and his family sat together sketching down a plan and making out ways to hold 24 eggs in one hand at a time! He is very much thankful to his family and friends for being his greatest support for his crazy dreams.
Shivakumar said, “We initially planned just the way how an engineer would plan before constructing a building,” with a smile. He later added, “Lots of eggs would fall during the practice. But I did not give up. I was more furious in accomplishing the goal.”
Shivakumar said, “The moment it was announced that my name was inscribed on the pages of the ‘Limca Book of Records,’ the whole of Vidyaranyapuram celebrated with sweets being distributed by many of my friends. It was really a magnificent moment where I could literally taste success.” Later, he went on to break a record by stuffing 280 straws in his mouth.
While speaking about his practice to break the record, Shivakumar said, “I fell sick many times due to the pain caused by the stretching of the facial skin and muscles. But my only determination was to break the record which Marcoheart of Switzerland had set by stuffing 250 straws into his mouth.”
He also added, “I practiced a lot and started increasing the number of straws I could stuff in one by one everyday. I practiced for about six to seven months before I finally presented it in front of the Guinness World Records team in Chennai.”
He commented that the pain was worst but the determination and the feeling of wanting to win something made him get used to the pain. The Guinness team in association with a private TV channel in Mumbai also invited Shivakumar bearing all the expenses of his travel just to record his unique talent for their show!
Shivakumar also mentioned that he had initially broken the record of most number of cigarettes being smoked at once with a whopping 50 numbers. But his name was not able to officially get inscribed onto the pages of ‘The Guinness Book of World Records’ due to the restriction put by the Government of India on submitting any records related to such harmful and misleading acts which appear endangering for health and society!
He said, “I never smoke! But just for the sake of breaking a record which was set by Jim Purol of America who had smoked 38 cigarettes at a time, I started learning to smoke” and laughed loudly. He also added, “I never smoked again,” with a confident smile.
Shivakumar was also invited as a chief guest during the Limca Book of Records Quiz Competition held in city in 2009 in which around 70 schools participated where he distributed the prizes to the winners.
We all know that talents are made and not born! To justify this statement, Shivakumar would be the finest example one can find. It can also be noted that many organisations have recognised the success of Shivakumar. He was also presented with the ‘Dr. Raj Achievement Award’ in city for his unique chase behind the records!
He is now working on some other records and is all set to break yet another world record by lifting 5 kilograms of weight using his lower lips alone! He surely is a masterpiece. He has advised people not try some of these acts unless they are trained under extreme conditions.
Shivakumar said, “We initially planned just the way how an engineer would plan before constructing a building,” with a smile. He later added, “Lots of eggs would fall during the practice. But I did not give up. I was more furious in accomplishing the goal.”
Shivakumar said, “The moment it was announced that my name was inscribed on the pages of the ‘Limca Book of Records,’ the whole of Vidyaranyapuram celebrated with sweets being distributed by many of my friends. It was really a magnificent moment where I could literally taste success.” Later, he went on to break a record by stuffing 280 straws in his mouth.
While speaking about his practice to break the record, Shivakumar said, “I fell sick many times due to the pain caused by the stretching of the facial skin and muscles. But my only determination was to break the record which Marcoheart of Switzerland had set by stuffing 250 straws into his mouth.”
He also added, “I practiced a lot and started increasing the number of straws I could stuff in one by one everyday. I practiced for about six to seven months before I finally presented it in front of the Guinness World Records team in Chennai.”
He commented that the pain was worst but the determination and the feeling of wanting to win something made him get used to the pain. The Guinness team in association with a private TV channel in Mumbai also invited Shivakumar bearing all the expenses of his travel just to record his unique talent for their show!
Shivakumar also mentioned that he had initially broken the record of most number of cigarettes being smoked at once with a whopping 50 numbers. But his name was not able to officially get inscribed onto the pages of ‘The Guinness Book of World Records’ due to the restriction put by the Government of India on submitting any records related to such harmful and misleading acts which appear endangering for health and society!
He said, “I never smoke! But just for the sake of breaking a record which was set by Jim Purol of America who had smoked 38 cigarettes at a time, I started learning to smoke” and laughed loudly. He also added, “I never smoked again,” with a confident smile.
Shivakumar was also invited as a chief guest during the Limca Book of Records Quiz Competition held in city in 2009 in which around 70 schools participated where he distributed the prizes to the winners.
We all know that talents are made and not born! To justify this statement, Shivakumar would be the finest example one can find. It can also be noted that many organisations have recognised the success of Shivakumar. He was also presented with the ‘Dr. Raj Achievement Award’ in city for his unique chase behind the records!
He is now working on some other records and is all set to break yet another world record by lifting 5 kilograms of weight using his lower lips alone! He surely is a masterpiece. He has advised people not try some of these acts unless they are trained under extreme conditions.