Celebrating 50 Years of Togetherness – Mr. Shankar & Mrs. Sharadha
Shetty
📍Amrith Garden, Ambagilu, Udupi | 28th June 2025
One doesn’t just celebrate 50 years of marriage – one honors it
with joy, laughter, and a whole lot of dancing! That’s exactly what happened
when Mr. Shankar Shetty, one of the evergreen founders of the ABC
Laughter Yoga Team, Manipal, celebrated his golden wedding anniversary with
his better (and certainly more graceful) half, Mrs. Sharadha Shetty, on
the beautiful evening of 28th June 2025 at Amrith Garden, Ambagilu.
The evening wasn’t just another reception—it was a joyful reunion of the
entire ABC Laughter Club family. Dressed in their festive best (with
smiles wider than ever), every member came not just with blessings and hugs,
but with their signature belly laughs ready to go!
And yes—there was a Laughter Yoga session right there in the middle
of the celebration. Guests watched in amused amazement as uncles chuckled
like children, aunties giggled like schoolgirls, and some even did the “lion
laughter” with such enthusiasm that one poor waiter nearly dropped the gulab
jamuns!
Mr. Shankar Shetty, never one to miss a punchline or a punch (of juice),
hosted the evening with gracious warmth, hearty hospitality, and a touch
of mischief. The dinner was sumptuous, the drinks flowed gently, and the
dessert counter had more fans than a cricket match in April.
The Shettys looked radiant—50 years of partnership, thousands of
shared jokes, and millions of smiles later, their bond was stronger than
ever. It was a living example of the motto ABC Club swears by: “Laugh
together, stay together!”
As the moon lit up the garden and laughter echoed off the palm trees, we
knew this wasn’t just a celebration of a marriage. It was a celebration of life
lived with joy, health, community, and a very loud HA HA HA!
Cheers to Mr. and Mrs. Shetty—may your love and laughter echo for
decades more!
📸[See the invitation above for a glimpse into the golden couple’s
milestone celebration.
In every corner of Manipal, you’ll find health enthusiasts—but none quite like our ABC Laughing Club members. These are not just your average morning walkers. No, sir. These are folks who not only believe in laughing away their worries but also in outsmarting ageing, one hair strand at a time.
Some of our members are considered the wellness whisperers of our town. From whipping up health-focused recipes to brewing herbal hair oils, they have tips for everything—from glowing skin to maintaining jet-black hair well into their 70s. Yes, 78 and still no sign of gray! (Rumour has it even their shampoo is scared to mess with their formula.)
Our wellness adventures often lead us to serene retreats, and one such gem is the Pareeka Nature Cure Centre, a unit of the Shanthivana Trust. Nestled in nature, it's a tranquil haven that promises to rejuvenate the body, calm the mind, and possibly even realign your spine—if you survive the yoga stretches.
But wait, there’s more. Our ever-energetic founder member, Mr. Karnunakara Shetty, recently paid a visit to Sowkhyavana Nature Cure Centre—also a part of the Shanthivana family. Spread over a peaceful 18 acres (yes, even the birds chirp in slow motion), this centre is home to the sacred Shri Shrinivasa Temple and offers therapies that sound like a wellness buffet: hydrotherapy, diet therapy, acupuncture, yoga, reflexology, manipulative therapy… you name it.
The place is run by highly skilled naturopathic doctors and therapists—people who know exactly where your pain lives and how to chase it out with their fingers, needles, or a silent gaze of disapproval.
And now for the grand finale: Mr. Shetty isn’t just a local health hero. He’s international! During his trip to the U.S., he even ran a session of Laughing Yoga. Yes, he made America laugh with him (and sometimes at him—but hey, laughter is laughter).
Check out the video and picture below of Mr. Shetty recently conducting a Laughing Yoga session at Pareeka. Spoiler: the laughter was contagious, and so was the joy.
Because in the ABC Laughing Club, we believe in health, humor, and hair—preferably all three together.
📸 Here is Doddamane Sridhar Shetty – a regular at the ABC Laughter Sessions 🌅😄. Even at the age of 80+, he brings so much energy and positivity every morning! 🌟
Sometimes, you’ll find him sitting calmly with cows 🐄🐂 – enjoying their gentle company. Such a beautiful scene to witness! 💚
Did you know spending time with animals has amazing health benefits, especially for elders? 👇
🐾 Reduces Stress & Anxiety – Gentle touch and presence of animals help calm the mind.
💓 Lowers Blood Pressure – Interaction with animals has a soothing effect on the heart.
🧠 Improves Mood & Memory – Great for emotional balance and staying mentally active.
🚶♂️ Encourages Physical Activity – Even light movement around animals keeps one active.
🤗 Combats Loneliness – Animal companionship fills emotional gaps, offering silent, loving support.
Truly inspiring to see him embrace nature and animals as part of his wellness routine! 🙌🌿
On March 3, 2025, ABC Laughter Team, Manipal, turned into a hub
of joy, celebration, and, of course, unstoppable laughter as members gathered
to celebrate the 75th birthday of Sri Umanath Shenoy, the esteemed
founder member of the group. It was a day filled with warmth, fun, and
infectious laughter— what better way to celebrate life than with a belly full
of laughter?
Morning Celebrations: Laughter, Wishes, and a Bouquet of Joy
The morning session saw an outpouring of best wishes from the members.
The senior-most laughter yogi, Sri Alevoor Doddamane Sridhar Shetty, led
the felicitation with a grand bouquet. The air was soon filled with the classic
chorus of "Happy Birthday" as Shri Karunakara Shetty, the
Associate Dean of Laughter Yoga, took charge, ensuring that everyone sang
in perfect harmony—or at least, loud enough to scare the morning crows away!
ABC Laughter Yoga has established a fun tradition of celebrating
milestone birthdays—75th, 80th, 85th, and beyond. Some members like Shri
Shankar Shetty and Shri Karunakar Shetty are already planning their century
celebrations (though they've requested softer birthday cakes to avoid dental visits).
As per custom, heartfelt wishes poured in, hoping for Sri Umanath Shenoy's
long, healthy, and laughter-filled life.
The Grand Dinner: A Feast Fit for Laughter Lords
As evening approached, the celebration took a delicious turn. Sri
Umanath Shenoy hosted a grand dinner at Hotel Nithyananda, Udyavar, Udupi,
and by 7:00 PM, laughter yogis were already at the venue, sniffing the air with
anticipation. The official dinner start time was 7:30 PM, but some members
arrived early- driven by their well-trained appetites—just to do "quality
checks."
The dinner was meticulously
coordinated by Sri Ashok Kumar Shetty, who carefully selected a
menu catering to taste buds and
digestion-friendly laughs. It was also observed that he had
taken special care to ensure that traditional
refreshments were available in ample quantity—delivered in a
large, well-sealed container, preserving its authenticity and natural essence.
A select few, well-versed in such matters, nodded approvingly at his efforts. As
expected, the laughter yogis did full justice to the feast, proving that a good
laugh pairs well with a good meal (though some had to do a few extra breathing
exercises afterwards to make space for dessert).
Interestingly, the evening was made even more special as certain
select members discovered a fine essence from across the border, brought in as
a token of Umanath Shenoy's recent travels. It was said that this rare
"spirit of celebration" added an extra sparkle to the laughter yoga
session that followed. However, in the midst of the dinner, it seems that some
of this prized elixir mysteriously vanished—whisked away before Dr. DR Shenoy
could keep count. Those who know, know.
Stage Function: Felicitations and a Graceful Escort
After the meal, a special stage function followed because no
great gathering was complete without a little extra applause and many
heartfelt words.
Sri Alevoor Doddamane Sridhar Shetty, who was deeply immersed in the joyful
spirit of the evening, found himself momentarily absorbed in its effects.
Recognizing the need for a steady hand, Sri Balakrishna Shetty expertly
escorted him to the stage, ensuring that all formalities were completed with
due honour—albeit at a slightly more measured pace than usual.
Once at the podium, Sri Alevoor gracefully resumed his role, presenting
yet another grand bouquet. Major Radhakrishna, the Master of Ceremonies,
took charge of the proceedings and kept everyone engaged with his crisp
delivery and lively energy.
Speaking about the birthday star, he humorously remarked: "Sri Umanath Shenoy is proof that growing older is mandatory, but
growing up is optional! His childlike enthusiasm keeps us all young at
heart—even if our knees disagree!"
The celebrations didn't stop there. Sri Ranjan K, another esteemed
founder member, was also honoured with a bouquet for being elected as the first-ever
President of the Udupi Civil Engineers Association. The official foundation
ceremony of the association will be scheduled for March 1, 2025, at 6:30 PM
at the Rooftop of Hotel Kidiyoor, an event that promises to be as
momentous as it is well-engineered!
Sri Umanath Shenoy, ever the humble host, took the stage to express his
gratitude. With a twinkle in his eye, he thanked his fellow members, saying: "Laughter Yoga has not just kept my spirits high but has kept my health
in check too. If I'm still standing strong at 75, it's because of all the
laughter exercises—though I'm beginning to suspect that some of you secretly do
yoga just for the snacks afterward!"
Wrapping Up with Smiles and Gratitude
The night ended on a high note, with hearty laughs, warm hugs, and
promises of many more such celebrations in the future. ABC Laughter Yoga,
Manipal, yet again proved that laughter isn't just the best medicine—it's
also the best way to celebrate life's milestones. A short video of the programme is given below:
As the members bid farewell, one was overheard saying: "This was such a joyful evening! Now, let's start planning for the 80th
birthday celebration—just to make sure we have enough time to practice our
laughter drills!"
Here's to more laughter, more birthdays, and many more moments of pure,
unfiltered joy!🎉😂
