10-year-old Aaradhya spins passion into art

Mangaluru,

Every evening, while many children unwind with mobile phones or television, 10 year old Aaradhya A. Phadke can be found practising with hoops, spinning, balancing, falling, retrying and slowly perfecting an art form that demands patience far beyond her age. In Mangaluru, she is now affectionately known as “The Kudla Hooper.” But behind the applause, performances and social media videos lies the story of a young girl discovering confidence and identity through movement and discipline. 

 A student of SDM, Mangaluru, Aaradhya did not enter the world of hula hooping through profes sional coaching or competitive training. Her journey began with simple curiosity. What followed was hours of observation, self learning and repeated practice inside her home, slowly transforming a playful activity into a serious artistic pursuit.

She is the daughter of Dr. Abhishek K. Phadke, Consultant Neonatologist and Pediatrician at Indiana Hospital, Mangaluru, and Dr. Ananya Phadke, Founder and Chief Consultant of Arogyam Holistic Health Clinic, Derebail. Like many children, Aaradhya too faced moments of hesitation and self doubt while learning something uncommon for her age. Hula hooping may appear playful from the outside, but mastering it requires discipline, coordination, physical endurance and consistency.

Repeated failures, dropped hoops and tiring practice sessions became part of her daily learning process. Yet, instead of giving up, she kept returning to practice with quiet determination. Today, Aaradhya performs advanced hoop routines involving different parts of the body including the neck, chest, knees, ankles and even her hair bun.

Among her biggest personal milestones has been performing con tinuous belly hooping for two hours non stop, a feat requiring focus, balance and endurance that even adults would struggle to maintain. Yet, what stands out more than the technical skill is the sincerity with which she approaches her art. There is no rush in her journey. No manufactured glamour. Just a child steadily growing through practice, expression and persistence.

Her performances of ten feel less like stage acts and more like storytelling through movement. Along with advanced hula hooping, Aaradhya also experiments with silk fan and ribbon flow arts and poi art, blending rhythm and creativity in ways that naturally connect with audiences. Over the years, her dedication has begun earning recognition.

She was honoured by the World Wide Book of Records in 2023 and later received the title “Rising Influencer of Mangalore – Hoops of Harmony” from the Influencer Book of Records 2025. But for Aaradhya, the real milestones appear to be personal rather than ceremonial. One such moment came during the SDM Mangaluru Makkala Mela, where she presented her own “Hula Hoop Story Journey” performance and secured second prize.

More than the award, it was perhaps the confidence of standing before an audience and expressing herself through an unconventional art form that mattered most. Her journey has also taken her to public stages including performances in Mangaluru and at the Mysuru Makala Dasara 2025, where audiences appreciated the young artist’s confidence and originality. Recently, she was honoured with the Adamya Chiguru Prathibha Chetana Puraskara 2026 presented by Adamya Ranga Shaale, Mysuru.

Despite the growing attention, Aaradhya’s story remains refreshingly simple. She continues to inspire children through workshops and social media, encouraging them to explore creativity, movement and self expression rather than remaining confined to digital distractions.

Her journey also reflects an important lesson of ten forgotten in today’s fast moving world, talent is not always born inside classrooms, competitions or expensive training centres. Sometimes, it quietly grows inside homes through curiosity, encouragement and the freedom to explore something different