Sirmaur shines: Young karatekas bring home medals

The National Karate Federation North Zone Championship brought moments of pride for Himachal Pradesh, particularly Sirmaur district, as young players from the region emerged with outstanding performances. Led by coordinator and national referee Neeraj Kumar along with coach Dimple, the state team secured six gold medals, one silver and one bronze, finishing second in the overall ranking. National player and gold medallist Ashutosh Sharma also accompanied the Himachali contingent, motivating the participants.

Among the brightest stars was Navneet Sharma from Tikkri-Pazeli village in Pachhad tehsil, who clinched two gold medals in the under-8 category. His father shared that Navneet trains at Star Goju Ryo Karate Academy, Kumarhatti, under coach Sanjay Thakur and credited the coach for his son’s success.

Sirmaur’s pride continued in the under-10 category where Parikshit of Global Wisdom National Public School, Naina Tikkar, struck gold while his schoolmate Ikshit won silver. Both were honoured by their school upon return. Adding to the tally, Lalit Kashyap, a Class IX student of Government Senior Secondary School, Naina Tikkar, secured a gold medal in the under-14 category.

The under-17 category also witnessed remarkable performances with Akshay Kumar winning gold and Vishal Kanwar clinching bronze, further strengthening Himachal’s standing at the championship and positioning them for upcoming national-level competitions.

What stands out is that a majority of medal winners in the Himachal team hail from Naina Tikkar region of Sirmaur, where National Gold Medallist and Referee Neeraj Kashyap has been consistently training students. His dedicated efforts are nurturing a new generation of karate players, steadily raising the district’s profile in martial arts.