Media Release

Mandya, Aug 30: A felicitation program was held today to honor H Malatesh, who was recently appointed as the Head Coach of the Karate Association of India. The event took place at St Joseph School in Pandithahalli, Malavalli Taluka, Mandya District.

Malatesh, who assumed his new role as a Head coach of Karate team on August 16, 2024, will have the significant responsibility of training karate athletes for national and international competitions. The program recognized his achievements and the crucial role he will play in advancing karate in India.

Fr Pradeep Anthony SJ, the Correspondent of St Joseph School, presented Malatesh with a token of appreciation and expressed gratitude for his commitment to training the school’s students. Fr Pradeep highlighted the benefits of karate, noting its positive impact on physical fitness, coordination, balance, discipline, self-control, respect, confidence, and self-esteem. Additionally, karate offers self-defense skills, fosters teamwork, enhances focus and concentration, and encourages goal-setting.

In his acceptance speech, Malatesh expressed his delight at his appointment and vowed to strive for excellence. He acknowledged the challenge of returning Indian karate to a medal-winning status and thanked the selection committee for their trust. He also committed to prioritizing the training of St Joseph's students and regarded it as both a privilege and responsibility.

Malatesh will be training the students of St Joseph’s School on a weekly basis, in addition to his national coaching duties. The school’s principal, Fr Alwyn D’Souza SJ, and administrator Anish attended the event. Mamtha, who also served as the master of ceremonies, organized the ceremony. The program concluded with a martial arts demonstration by Malatesh and ended with the national anthem.