Udupi: A national-level karate championship will be held in Udupi on September 6 and 7, in tribute to Praveen Kumar, the late founder of the Institute of Karate and Allied Arts and former President of Budokan Karate International. The announcement was made by senior trainer M. Suresh during a press meet.
The prestigious event, hosted by the Malpe branch of the Institute of Karate and Allied Arts, will take place at Amrutha Garden Hall, Udupi. Over 2,000 karate practitioners and more than 200 certified judges from across India are expected to take part in the two-day competition.
Participants will compete in individual kata (forms) and individual kumite (sparring) events, separated into men’s and women’s categories. The kumite grand championship, featuring top-level bouts, is set to be the main highlight of the event, promising intense and dynamic martial arts action.
Present at the press conference were karate instructors Anand Devadiga, Prabhakar Kunder, Vinod Ullal, and Balakrishna Alva, along with Organizing Committee President Sachin Karkada, Vice President Sandeep Kharvi, Event Coordinator Kiran Marshall, and Media Advisor Subodh Kumar.
The event not only aims to promote martial arts at the national level but also serves to honor Praveen Kumar’s lifelong dedication to karate and his contribution to building a disciplined and skilled karate community in India.