Gurdaspur karatekas prove their mettle on national stage

Karatekas, or as players who train in the martial sport of Karate are known, are taught that they must avoid treating Karate as a mere sport. It must be practiced as a martial art at all times. “Your fingers and the tips of your toes must be like an arrow, your arms must be like iron,” these words are regularly drilled into the minds of young karatekas by coach Gurwant Singh.

The boys and girls train under the aegis of the District Child and Welfare Council (DCWC), Gurdaspur, at the Government Girls’ Senior Secondary School, opposite the city police station.

The honorary secretary of the DCWC, Romesh Mahajan, who finances the activities of the centre, said his players performed exceptionally well in the recently concluded All India Independence Cup held at Talkatora indoor stadium in New Delhi. Gurshabad Bhalla won a gold medal, while Amanat Kaur, Hargunpreet Kaur and Ekamjot Singh claimed bronze medals. Earlier, in the JKD All India Karate Championship held in Kapurthala last month, Gourav Sahota, Joy and Dishika won gold medals, while Kanchan secured a silver medal. Amanpreet Kaur picked up a bronze medal.

The Gurdaspur Karate Association held a felicitation ceremony this week which was presided over by Harjinder Singh Bedi, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-General). The winners were given prizes on the occasion.

Chief Guest Harjinder Singh Bedi encouraged students to take up sports with dedication. He also highlighted that sports provided great job opportunities including recruitment in government and private organisations through sports quotas.

Romesh Mahajan exhorted the players to do well. He said, “The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in a battle. True progress comes from consistent effort, not just skill.”

He said he had taken up the idea of training youngsters, particularly girls, when he was travelling by a bus in 2015. “Some hoodlums started eve-teasing on the bus. Two of the girls travelling in the bus were Karate players. They took the hoodlums head on and pinned them down. I thought why not open a centre in Gurdaspur where martial arts training could be imparted so that youngsters can develop a technique to defend themselves,” he said.

Ever since the centre was opened on October 10, 2016, under the guidance of the then Deputy Commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal, the boys and girls of the centre have so far won 90 gold medals at the national level and 10 at the international level.