Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore (KM/NR)
Mangalore, Oct 22: The 25th All India Budokan Karate Federation - Open Championship 2007 will be held from October 26 to October 28 at the Srinivas Mallya Indoor stadium in the city. B Nagaraj Shetty former district in-charge minister and chairman of the Championship organizing committee informed this at a press meet here, on Sunday, Oct. 21.
Addressing media persons, Nagaraj Shetty informed that though it is a national level competition, participants from neighboring countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal would also participate in the event. The organizing committee has put-in all its efforts to ensure that the competition is a success. Around 250 participants are taking part in the event from the undivided DK district and around 2000 entries are expected from various states of the country.
'Over-prominence' is being given to non-Indian sports like cricket, but Indian games like Kabbaddi and Kho-Kho are not being sufficiently encouraged. This should not happen in case of Karate, Pradeep Kumar Kalkura - vice president of the organizing committee hoped at the meet.
The said event will be inaugurated on Friday, October 26 by B Nagaraj Shetty, Prakash Shetty K, chairman and managing director, MRG Group, Bangalore will preside over the function. The chief guests on the occasion will be Kaup Divakar Shetty, president, KMF, CH Rao, president, AIBKF and Syed Ahmed, secretary- general AIBKF.
Participants from the district have been working wonders through their performance in Karate. Karnataka could do even better, if the karate participants from the State are well-trained, averred Praveen Kumar, executive president of the organizing committee explained while speaking to Daijiworld correspondent here. Competition categories will be individual kata, team kata, individual kumita, team kumita and weapon kata, he added.
The valedictory function will be held on Sunday, October 28. Yogish Bhat MLA would preside over the function. Prizes will be distributed by Dayananda Pai, chairman and managing director, Century Building Industries Pvt Ltd, Bangalore and Ashit Mohan Prasad, IGP, Western Range.
Sureshchandra Shetty, Raghunath Shet, Balakrishna Alva, secretary, Ananda Devadiga member was present.