21st October 2012-Sunday 8.30 am saw the beginning of Shotokan bonding in India, where participants, parents escorting their kids, tournament officials, Instructors from different Shotokan organizations started reporting on the championship venue.

 

The Event - JKA India’s 1st All Shotokan Karate Championship.

 

The Venue - Sports Authority of India Complex, Mumbai.

 

The Motive - The purpose of this event was to build friendship and understanding amongst Shotokan karate kas, cultivate mutual respect, foster exchange of techniques and education on Shotokan ideology and lastly; to provide quality competition.

 

Tournament Rules & Regulations - As formulated & provided by JKA W/F hq.

 

Categories were limited from below 9 years to below 18 years, the events being Individual kata & kumite, team kata & kumite. Here we had some eye-catching performances of kumite techniques and superb fighting spirit, a sight rarely seen these days with different tournament format. Advanced katas were performed in the "above Brown Belt" (san kyu and above) category with precision skill (for their age) which showed their aptitude for technical excellence, then again it was a sight to see these youngsters; full of hope and potential talent in every bone, every muscle of their body.

 

The feeling of pride and happiness emitting off the faces of the participants and spectators was overwhelming, impeccable karate discipline and fine-tuning between administrating panel and the officials was enabling smooth functioning of the championship.

 

Entire credit goes to all the Organization Chiefs from different Shotokan styles to have understood and agreed to our motive and come to a common understanding on the upliftment and promotion of SHOTOKAN KARATE in India. A sense of belonging to the Shotokan fraternity was to be inculcated in every participant, a small but important step towards our goal.

 

My special gratitude to all the parents escorting their children to the venue in spite of them kids having their school exams the following week, I also thank various Instructors to have taken out the time helping and guiding us in various administrative and policy making matters. Unprecedented support and trust on JKA India by them motivated us to go ahead with this championship and we are determined to come back next year with a bigger participation and administratively improvised version of the event.

 

The effort to make this championship happen; stands testimony to our devotion to JKA and Shotokan karate, as it goes that we: JKA India, happens to be the only karate organization here; to initiate a bold step as to motivate various Shotokan chiefs to participate in a championship with the traditional Shotokan spirit and its rules & regulations. I will want more and more of our members and other Shotokan karate kas to come forward, and be a part of JKA India’s diligent and sincere efforts that has lead us to a respectable position in the Indian karate fraternity.

 

I once again thank all those who were a part of this championship directly and indirectly, for being with us and helping us in transforming this karate championship in a memorable and an educating experience in Shotokan Karate.

 

Best Regards,

 

Milan Trivedi
Chief Instructor - JKA India