Karate should get govt. help

Master Shihan Keigo Abe, world-renowned karate instructor (and official coach certified by the Japanese Ministry of Education and National Instructor and Referee of the All Japan Karate-Do Federation) conducted a three-day training camp for 40 karate instructors from all over India at Multipurpose Sports Auditorium.
He was here at the invitation of Siraj Ahmed, chief instructor and Indian representative with JSKA (Japan Shotokan Karate Association, International), the academy founded by Master Shihan Keigo in February 1999 in Japan.
Ahmed, himself a famous instructor in South Asia visited JSKA World Headquarters in February 2003 and received his special training from Master Keigo who appointed him as representative and instructor of JSKA in India.
Master Shihan Keigo, informs Siraj Ahmad, was on his India visit for promoting JSKA. "He intends to impart special karate training and examine black belts instructors, from different states of India. Those who will pass will be issued certificates from JSKA World Headquarters and those who will perform excellently will be directly selected to be part of the Indian team of JSKA which will participate in the World Karate Championship to be held at Pretoria, City of Tshwane, South Africa in July 2004."
About the performance of participants at the camp, Master Shihan Keigo expressed slight dissatisfaction. "These boys will have to be taught more," he said. "They will have to work harder. I wish I could teach them more but I have no time. I hope to come again."
At the camp, the Master, apart from imparting training, also gave away black belt degrees. From Dehradun two instructors - Mukhti P and Vishal Rawat - were given black belt. Vinay Joshi from Uttaranchal and Mazhar Khan of Meerut were chosen for a three-month advanced training camp at JSKA, Japan. Also three of Siraj''s students namely M. Solomon, S Pushpanathan, and Mohd Tariq were given the 3rd Dan Degree. Siraj''s own higher level degree, as a gesture of rare honour, would be bestowed on him by the Master at a ceremony in Japan later this year.
When asked about his own training, Master Keigo informed (through his interpreter Ashfaq Ahmed) that he started learning Judo and Karate when he was 15 years of age and entered the Japan Karate Association (JKA) in 1958. About his purpose in spreading karate in India he said that his foremost aim was to preserve this ancient art form as it was gradually getting distorted. Apart from that, the art form was valuable as a sport also as it helped the dedicated, to realize their inner selves and train their bodies for achieving optimum strength and flexibility. Speaking about the role of the government Master Keigo said, "People like Siraj should be roped in to promote the sport. But more importantly, the government must sponsor tournaments. The government should invite experts like the governments of Nepal and Bangladesh do."