From pandemic hobby to 5 world records: The story of 8-year-old limbo skater Takshvi Vaghani

At an age when most children are still discovering their favourite games, eight-year-old Takshvi Vaghani has already built an extraordinary résumé. The young limbo skater has set multiple world records, wowed audiences with her daring performances and continues to balance intensive training with academic excellence.

Despite her achievements, Takshvi speaks with the innocence and simplicity of any other eight-year-old. Behind her remarkable journey, however, are years of disciplined practice, unwavering family support and a deep passion for skating that has propelled her to the world stage.

“I like making records in limbo skating. I like skating in limbo skating,” she tells indianexpress.com.

A hobby born during pandemic

Like many parents trying to keep their children engaged indoors, Takshvi’s parents bought her several toys and sports equipment.

“When I was four years old, my mom and dad bought me different games. My mom thought I was interested in skating, so she bought skates for me,” Takshvi says.

Lowest limbo skating over 10 m 🛼 16 cm (6.29 in) by Takshvi Vaghani 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/B5fWsdZXJd

— Guinness World Records (@GWR) July 1, 2026

Takshvi’s mother, Devanshi Desai, said skating immediately stood out among everything else. “COVID had just come, and we bought her different sports equipment: cricket, boxing, balls and skating. Out of everything, she was naturally drawn towards skating. She loved wearing skates and started skating on her own,” she said.

Finding a coach willing to train such a young child proved difficult and several academies refused admission because of her age. “No one was ready to teach her. Finally, one coach agreed to give her a demo class. He said that if she didn’t disturb the other children and wasn’t scared, he would consider taking her,” Devanshi said.

Devanshi said the coach’s doubts disappeared almost immediately. “On the very first day, he asked us if she had already been trained somewhere because she was doing so well. We told him she had never been to an academy before.”

Story continues below this ad

Discovering limbo skating

Takshvi initially trained in speed skating and quickly began winning medals. Before she was even five years old, she competed at the Invitational Nationals in Amritsar and returned home with a silver medal.

Yet despite her success, her parents found themselves questioning whether to continue.

“There were limitations. Age eligibility rules meant she couldn’t participate in several official competitions. I even thought of stopping skating for some time and restarting when she became eligible,” Devanshi said.

At the same time, Takshvi was also learning karate and had earned a green belt. “She had flexibility from karate and speed from skating. We realised we could combine these two abilities,” her mother added.

Five world records and counting

Takshvi has now created five world records in limbo skating, including multiple entries recognised internationally.

Story continues below this ad

“We didn’t know how Guinness World Records worked,” her mother said. “We first participated in the India Book of Records, then the International Book of Records, and the Golden Book of Records. Those experiences helped us understand the documentation process before applying for Guinness.”

Devanshi said the process isn’t straightforward. “There are detailed guidelines. You have to submit videos, follow strict criteria and perform in the presence of authorised officials. Everything has to be documented properly,” she said.

Inviting Guinness officials to witness the attempt in person is another option, but one that comes with a hefty price tag. “It can cost around Rs 30 to Rs 35 lakh, so we followed the standard verification process instead,” the mother added.

Months later came the confirmation that Takshvi had officially entered the Guinness World Records, not once, but twice.

Story continues below this ad

Discipline beyond her years

Watching Takshvi glide effortlessly under the limbo bar, it is easy to marvel at the final performance. What often goes unnoticed is the relentless training and discipline behind every record.

Her mother recalls a time when Takshvi’s evenings were far from typical for a child her age, with hours devoted to practice instead of play. “She would go skating from 5 pm to 6 pm, karate from 6 pm to 7 pm, swimming from 8 pm to 9 pm, and then practise limbo skating from 10 pm until midnight under our supervision.”

Such a schedule demanded extraordinary discipline, not only from Takshvi but from her entire family.

Her parents, both doctors, emphasise nutrition as seriously as training. “We are vegetarians, but because of her sporting requirements, we introduced eggs into her diet so she could get more protein,” her mother said.

However, it was not nutrition science alone that convinced them to limit junk food. “I saw the difference myself. Earlier, I used to think eating pizza once in a while wouldn’t matter. But after eating junk food, she simply couldn’t perform as well during practice. That was enough evidence for me,” Devanshi said.

Story continues below this ad

Takshvi admits she still enjoys treats occasionally. “My favourite junk food is Maggi,” she said with a grin. “But I eat it only sometimes.”

Protecting childhood

High-performance sport often raises concerns about pressure on young athletes. Takshvi’s parents insist that every step of the journey has been driven by her own enthusiasm rather than parental expectations.

“You simply cannot force a child to do something like this,” her mother said, adding that limbo skating can be physically demanding and sometimes painful.

“She has suffered injuries many times. While practising under vehicles, her cheek would get scraped. She would cry for a minute,” Devanshi said.

Story continues below this ad

At those moments, her parents always gave her the option to stop. “We would tell her, ‘Let’s leave it for today. We can practise tomorrow.’ But she would immediately say, ‘No, I want to do it today.’”

“Her passion comes from within. If it wasn’t her own dream, none of this would have been possible.”

The family also faced criticism from relatives and acquaintances who questioned whether such demanding training was appropriate for someone so young.

“People would ask us why we were making her do all this. But once her talent was recognised, everyone understood that she truly had something unique,” she shared.

More than an athlete

Despite spending hours in training, Takshvi continues to excel academically. A Class 3 student, she ranks among the top students in her school.

Story continues below this ad

She has also earned recognition in competitive mental mathematics. “There was a competition where she solved 200 sums in eight minutes. She won at the Gujarat state level and now she has qualified for the national competition,” Devanshi said.

Balancing academics with elite-level sports is challenging, even for adults. Her parents admit they constantly evaluate whether she is taking on too much. “My husband often tells me that eventually we may have to choose between academics and sports,” Devanshi said. “But right now she enjoys both, so we don’t want to stop her.”

Dreams beyond limbo skating

Although limbo skating has brought her global recognition, Takshvi already has new ambitions. “I will continue sports. I want to play cricket and win the World Cup,” she said.

Her mother added that tennis is another sport that fascinates her. “She either wants to become a cricketer or a tennis player. She likes both.”

Rather than deciding her future, her parents want Takshvi to discover her own path. “We don’t want her to become something because we say so. We want her to do what she genuinely enjoys,” Devanshi said.

Story continues below this ad

“Many people asked us why we weren’t encouraging her to become a doctor. But we don’t think like that,” she added.

National television and beyond

Before her remarkable feat with Guinness World Records, Takshvi made waves with her stint on the popular reality show India’s Got Talent.

“In the first round, she performed under a car. In the second round, she performed under bars with fire and even did a reverse limbo move that, as far as we know, no one in the world has done,” Devanshi said.

She advanced to the semifinal before exiting the competition. “The later rounds required more indoor-style performances, which is difficult for limbo skating because it is primarily an outdoor discipline.”

Staying grounded

When asked how her classmates reacted after learning about her achievements, she says simply, “They were very happy. My friends were surprised.”

Her parents are equally determined to ensure that fame does not overshadow childhood. They focus less on medals and more on consistency, resilience, and enjoyment.

“If children don’t enjoy what they are doing, they cannot continue for long,” her mother said.