Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (MM/NR)
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Oct 29: Kiran Marshal of Malpe and Praveena of Parkala, both from Udupi district have bagged the individual grand championship in the men’s and women’s category respectively, in the All-India Budokan Karate Federation Open Karate Championship-2007 (AIBKFOKC), held here at the U Srinivas Mallya Indoor Stadium from October 26 to 28.
A M Prasad, Western Range IGP, presented the awards on Sunday October 28 evening. At the same time, the Karnataka team bagged the overall championship for the year 2007. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu teams have secured the second and third place respectively. Kiran Marshal, the karate grand champion in the individual male category has been practicing karate for the past 14 years. He started karate practice under Prabhakar Kundar Malpe. This is the 6th time Kiran Marshal is winning the said grand championship at the national-level. At present Kiran is imparting teaching and training on karate to others in Malpe.
Kiran’s elder brother Derik Kishan is also an expert on karate. He has also bagged the grand championship at the national-level for 3 times. Interestingly, in due recognition of his calibre and expertise, he is occupying the judges chair in the karate championship which is held here.
Praveena, the karate grand champion in the individual female category, started practicing karate from her karate teachers Anand Devadiga and Shivaprasad Acharya, when she was barely in High School. Later, she took karate more seriously than her education. This is the first time she is bagging this award at a national-level. She is also a karate teacher teaching students in Parkala.
Speaking to ‘daijiworld.com, she declared that she never expected this award. Moreover, she is coming from a rural background and therefore this achievement is an admirable feat indeed. Praveena has already passed the opening interview for the post of a police sub-inspector. At present she is also pursuing her BA degree from the Karnataka State Open University.