Munger residents Guriya and (right) Rupa get ready for a bout at the 7th state-level karate competition at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium in Patna on Sunday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, Nov. 13: Moni Kumari, Rupa Kumari, Guriya Kumari and Manish Kumar Sharma come from different parts of Bihar but with a common story. The four youths are not only skilled martial art trainers but also tough fighters who have overcome several hurdles of life to pursue their interest.

These youths were among the 350 and odd participants from all over the state who took part in the two-day seventh Shito Cup karate championship at Moin-ul-Haq Stadium.

Organised by Sports Karate Do Association of Bihar (Skab), the event saw around 230 participants from different villages in Khagaul, Lakhisarai, Munger, Supaul, Nalanda, Bhagalpur and others.

The youths competed in two forms of karate — kata and fight — in 34 categories based on age and weight.

Rupa and Guriya, residents of Gauraiya and Mankothia villages in Munger’s Dharara block, have battled reservations of their tribal communities. At the competition here today, they showed their skills in the “fight” form of karate.

Rupa and Guriya travel over 12km on their bicycle every day to reach their 6am karate class. Suraj Kumar, who trains the duo, said they are an inspiration for his class. “They are so disciplined and always reach the class in time. They have to leave at 5am but they are never late,” said Suraj, whose institute in Dharara is affiliated to Skab.

“When I decided to join the karate class two years ago, the community members used to tell my parents that my decision was not a respectable one. But my parents supported my decision,” said Guriya.

On her inspiration to join the class, Rupa said: “A camp was organised in my village three years ago and I was impressed by the demonstrations of the trainers. That was when I decided to learn karate.”

Moni, a Class X student of Government Girls’ High School in Lakhisarai’s Abhaypur village, also trains under Suraj. She travels around 60km to Dharara three days a week for the class and on other days of the week, she trains 80 children of Kasturba Gandhi Girls’ Residential School in Dharara.

Nineteen-year-old Manish, a resident of Bhagalpur, travels to the Naxalite-affected Haveli Kharagpur twice a week to train children in the art of self-defence.

Starting with five children, Manish now trains 25 children in Haveli Kharagpur. “I started learning karate in 2004 and after two years of training, I started to train other youths like me in Bhagalpur,” said Manish. “They learn this sport for self-defence purposes. It is very important in such Naxalite-hit areas,” Manish added.

On the development of karate in the villages of the state, Skab president Nalin Kumar said: “It is a good development that children from villages are taking up this game seriously. Skab organises karate camps in several places like Lakhisarai, Jamalpur, Darbhanga and Mokama.”

Nalin added that children from villages have more scope in the sport. “The children play with mud in the villages and engage in activities that requires physical and mental strength. Karate is all about physical and mental stamina,” he said.