A teenager with martial arts in his blood has struck gold in kata and kumite competitions recently.
Abhyuday Kumar Singh, an 18-year-old alumnus of Christ Church Diocesan School in Patna, has picked up kata and kumite - martial arts skills - over the past five-and-a-half years. Barring a month, all his training had been at Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan. He picked up the skills so well that a year ago, Kilkari retained him as one of the trainers.
At a competition organised by the All India Karate-Do Association Abhyuday picked up gold medals in the two skills. The rounds were held between January 30 and February 1 in Bangalore.
Anita Thakur, the programme manager of Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan, said: "We are very happy about Abhyuday's win. He picked up the skills really quickly."
The 18-year-old is elated too but isn't surprised for martial arts is in his genes. "I was inclined towards martial arts because of my father.He never took any professional training but learnt a few moves from his friends. He managed to convince my mother and I started learning karate around five-and-a-half years ago. Since then I have not looked back," said the teen.
Neither has he looked back nor is the Bangalore victory a first for him. "Two years ago, I had participated in a kumite championship organised by AIKF and that time too I won a gold medal. In kata, I had to be content with bronze. So, this time I am very happy to have secured gold in both skills," said a happy Abhyuday.
Everybody's happy with his achievements in such a short time, especially coach Kanhaiya Prasad Singh. The youth said: "I started training under Kanhaiya sir but a month on, he moved to Kilkari Bihar Bal Bhavan. So, I too enrolled myself here so that I could continue training under him. I took the right decision."
For all his success in martial arts, Abhyuday does not want a career in it. He wants it to remain his hobby and qualify for the Union Public Service Commission.