NAHARLAGUN, Jun 3: All India Wado-Kai Karate Association (AIWKA) chairman Rajesh Agarwal said that the central government should help promote games and sports in Arunachal Pradesh and the Northeast region.
“The youths of the region have a lot of potential in sports. What they need is good infrastructure, motivation and exposure,” he said during an interaction with media persons on the sideline of the three-day 21st All India Wado Kai Karate Championship-2018 on Sunday afternoon.
He attributed the successful conclusion of three-day event to Karate Association of India (KAI) vice president Shihan Likha Tara, Arunachal Karate-Do Association (AKA) general secretary Bulang Marik, and organizing committee chairman-cum-Arunachal Wado-Kai Karate Association president Shihan Yarda Niki.
“They deserve appreciation for developing karate clubs with their own funds, including 12 clubs in the capital complex and branches with clubs in 18 districts of the state, which pushed the states’ karatekas to such great heights,” he said.
Preparations begin a year in advance for the annual event, said Shihan Agarwala. He said the Wado Kai style of karate was born in Gujarat in 1994.
KAI vice president Tara said: “Karate is becoming a buzzword for the army, the BSF, the police, and even schools in Delhi, while Arunachal Pradesh is yet to take note of it.”
He said Arunachal had secured the 3rd, 5th, and 6th positions in the all India ranking, but always remained at the top in NE “as we always work for the players without any discrimination but only calibre,” Tara, who also is the president of AKA, said.
“Managing the event was a Herculean task as about 400 karatekas from over 16 states took part in the sub-junior, cadet, junior and senior categories. But there was no help from the GoAP, except from ministers Tamiyo Taga and Wangki Lowang,” Shihan Niki said.
“Johny Manghiya has been sent to Iran for training with AKA fund, reflecting the commitment to promote the game,” said Marik.
