Chennai’s own karate kid beats the odds

City girl Abinaya Rajendran grew up watching her father Rajendran, a karate Sensei — black belt (fifth Dan) teaching the martial art to the children in their neighbourhood. This instilled an interest in young Abinaya, who started learning karate from a tender age of seven. 

Currently, a first-year Physical Education student at Queen Mary’s College, the youngster dreams of participating in Olympics and bring laurels to the country. “I started loving karate not just because my father was a karate expert but karate is more than just a martial art to me. It’s an emotion and it has become a way of life for me,” says Abinaya. 

She has won several medals and accolades in karate, both in national level and international level tournaments. The only aim in her life is to put Tamil Nadu on the global map and make her parents proud. “My dad used to sell tea at the pavement near our house. But now he has stopped it and is now teaching karate for girl students at a few government and government-aided schools,” shares the young champion, sitting at her house in Madhya Kailash.  

While starting out, her family members questioned her decision and told her not to continue the sport anymore. “Even though martial arts are relatively safe, we are prone to injuries because of the physical contact between opponents. But I was 100 per cent sure that karate was going to be my future and I pursued it. I was very sensitive initially but now have overcome many challenges to achieve my dream.” Abinaya is proficient in kumite or free fighting and kata . “In today’s world, self-defense, especially for women, is of extreme importance. 

It helps not only to prepare you for unforeseen situations but also helps in developing mental and physical health. Karate has made me a strong and confident person,” she stresses. Her daily routine includes three hours of practice in the morning and two hours in the evening after college. Abinaya’s two younger siblings, Nivethika and Lathika, are also being groomed by their father. “Apart from jogging at Marina beach, we do some simple workouts. Diet is an integral part of martial arts and my parents make sure that I have a balanced, nutritional diet pattern,” Abinaya remarks.