ITANAGAR, 31 Mar: Lipin Ete from Arunachal Pradesh is set to represent India at the prestigious USA Open 2026 and Junior International Karate Championship 2026, scheduled to be held in Fort Worth, Texas, from 1 to 5 April.
Ete is currently facing a serious travel crisis due to the ongoing global geopolitical tension and has encountered severe travel disruptions. Her flights have been cancelled three times and now rescheduled. Her original departure was scheduled for 30 March, and is now delayed to 1 April.
Airfares have surged making alternative arrangements extremely difficult. These challenges have caused mental stress, uncertainty, and disruption in preparation, the Karate India Organisation (KIO) said.
“This situation is especially concerning for a young athlete traveling from a remote state like Arunachal Pradesh, carrying the hopes and pride of the region.
“We have informed the consulate generals of India in the United States in San Francisco, California and Houston, Texas regarding her travel, requesting assistance/support in case of any emergency during her stay in the USA,” KIO president Bharat Sharma said.
Other team members representing the country are Aniket Gupta, Delhi (team captain), Deepika Dhiman, Delhi (senior player), Apoorv Arora, Haryana, (player), Reetika, Delhi (player), Athrav Garg, Haryana (player), and Yashpal Singh Kalsi (coach).
