DECEMBER 20-26, 2013

CHINA DAILY

ASIA WEEKLY

PA G E 7

FROM PAGE 6

more disciplined and focused person. The federation has affiliated member associations in provinces across the country. In the past few years, Chinese martial art schools have popped up in every nook and cranny of the country, as an online search for kungfu training in any of the 640 districts in India will reveal. And, in some areas, especially in cities, the number of kungfu centers is huge. By and large, the fees charged by the martial arts training centers are between $20 and $30 per person per month, and many training centers offer discounts for females. The Chinese martial arts trainers admit that the gruesome attacks on women that received international media attention in recent years have led to a surge in females signing up for kungfu courses in the country. City girls are queuing up to learn kungfu self-defense techniques, according to Mumbai-based Shibu V Francis, who is training around 350 children, mostly girls. He imparts techniques on how women can escape the clutches of an attacker, incapacitate assailants with punches and kicks, as well as tips to sharpen individual reexes. Nirupama Roy, who has enrolled at a kungfu self-defense training center in New Delhi, says that she is finding the classes helpful. The 33-year-old, a mother of two, claims she can now disarm an opponent by locking his elbow and launch an attack targeting pressure points in the body. Corporate India is also taking a lead in promoting the martial arts programs. Thungunooro Balaraju trained at the Shaolin Monastery in 2006 and now gives training aimed at achieving good health for office workers. Corporate culture demands working right through the day, he says. Special kungfu training is given specically to treat ailments due

to sedentary jobs. Kungfu exercise enhances mental agility, focus and concentration. It also helps one to calm down, relax and become more peaceful. Balaraju, who runs the Chinese Wushu Kungfu Martial Arts Academy in the eastern city of Hyderabad, is training the faculty members at the renowned Indian School of Business and employees of Sopient Technologies. Different options are available when it comes to training in business environments. Some companies focus on training for female staff, while others are more interested in improving the tness of all employees. A few rms opt for martial arts training to improve the productivity of their employees by helping them build focus, presence of mind, alertness, and discipline. If kungfu can give us that, it is excellent, says a HR professional at a telecom service provider, who believes that martial arts training can create a positive atmosphere. Kungfu is all about the positive aspects of life. No two opinions on that. Historians may have different views on the arrival of the Chinese martial art in India, but it is clear that it has captured the imagination of a nation. Kungfu is not just a martial art, it is a way of life, sums up Kanishka Sharma. And India will completely embrace it.

Increasing interest in martial arts events

By KRISHNA KUMAR VR

From top: Meditation plays a crucial role in boosting the condence of kungfu students; Concentration involved in training is known to change the aggressive behavior of trainees; Shibu V Francis (far left) teaches at the All India Kung-Fu Wushu Association; Students and trainers of the All India Kung-Fu Wushu Association.

Legendary Shaolin Kungfu grandmaster, Shifu Shi Yan Fang, will be in India from Dec 21-22 to perform the Shaolin Dan Dao, or single sword performance, at the annual Zambhala festival in Goa. The title of Shifu means master. Also, a one-hour Ba Duan Jin qigong performance will be showcased at the event. This performance focuses on eight body movements that exquisitely explain the importance of breath, body form and spirit. The term Ba means eight, while Duan means the positive benefits that can be got only through the continuous practice of each of these eight movements. Jin means silk, and reects how the movement is similar to the exquisite luxury of silk. Shifu Shi Yan Fang will also take questions on Shaolin techniques, weapons and demonstrations. The Indian kungfu master Shifu Kanishka Sharma will also perform Ba Duan Jin qigong. In addition to this, Sharma will demonstrate the extreme forms of Shaolin: Hu quan (also known as tiger st) and Shaolin hard qigong (iron bar breaking with head). As the interest in Chinese martial arts in India continues to grow, the Kung Fu Federation of India, in association with the Beijing-based International Kung Fu Federation, will organize the first Indo-China Kungfu Championship in October 2014 in India. The federation is hoping to bring together 300 participants from the two countries for a major event that will see participants competing in three different age categories. A delegation from the Indian federation will travel to Beijing to nalize the schedule of the Indian championship, and to also invite the abbot of the Shaolin Monastery. Organizers believe that the presence of the abbot in India will give a further boost to the competition format for kungfu in the country.