The 31st State Level Inter School Karate Tournament 2025 began today with the largest number of participants in the event’s storied history.
A record 350 female and 392 male karatekas have signed up for this year’s tournament, representing 104 schools from Khasi-Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills. To put that into perspective, there were 609 participants last year, which was itself a record until it was broken today. This demonstrates that interest in karate is growing and that the efforts of coaches, schools and academies are bearing fruit.
The three-day championship has been organised by the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association (AMKA) with the support of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs at the Multipurpose Indoor Hall at the SAI Centre on the NEHU Shillong campus.
The chief guest at the opening ceremony was Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range) Davis NR Marak IPS, with Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) Working President John F Kharshiing the guest of honour.
Marak formally declared the tournament open after Esaranaki Kharjana, who won a silver medal for Meghalaya in a national cadet tournament in Dehradun last month, took the oath on behalf of all the karatekas.
A keen athlete himself, especially in shooting sports, Marak praised AMKA for being one of the biggest and most active sports associations in Meghalaya. “I also congratulate AMKA on organising such a big tournament – 104 schools is no joke and it is testament to the hard work and dedication of AMKA’s members that this was brought together successfully,” he said while also paying tribute to the effort of the coaches and parents for supporting the children in their passion.
In his speech, Kharshiing noted the approaching National Games 2027, which Meghalaya will host. He said that the MSOA is expecting big things from Meghalaya’s karatekas at the Games and beyond. Kharshiing also spoke about the benefits of the state government’s scholarship programme and financial rewards for successful athletes in supporting the growth of sports in the state.
AMKA also used the opportunity to felicitate successful karatekas and coaches who had brought glory to Meghalaya through different tournaments in recent months.
Included among them was Kynjailin Lyngdoh Mawnai, who won a bronze medal for India at the 9th South Asian Karate Championship in Colombo, Sri Lanka, earlier this month.
The other karatekas to be honoured were Ferdinand Samkupar Rani, Gideon Tympuin, Gregorwilson Makdoh, Larisha Kurbah, Esaranaki Kharjana, Daphishisha Shadap, Royal Jayden Laloo. The coaches felicitated were Donboklang Lyngdoh, Sunil Rathee, Rodrick Syiem, Edwilbert Kyntiewbor Nongkynrih and Ester Mary Lyngdoh.
Before the competitive kumite (sparring) bouts began, there were two demonstrations performed – one of karate as self-defence as another of team kata (choreographed movement).
