CHENNAI : Her mother’s knee ailment getting cured was indeed a miracle for Yugalakshmi, a graduate in Computer Science Engineering from the city. She couldn’t help but wonder how her mother’s excruciating pain had vanished with just a few visits to the clinic. Meanwhile, her father was doing a study on martial arts and he introduced her to Shorinji Kempo. Curious, she decided to go to the clinic run by Dr Maxwell Jude Anthony, where she began learning Shorinji Kempo, a Buddhist martial art, and its alternative medicine offerings. Now, Yugalakshmi along with 14 other members from Shorinji Kempo Madras, are in Tokyo representing India at the Shorinji Kempo World Taikai 2023 tournament, which began on Friday and will be held till October 13.
Doshin So, regarded as the founder of Shorinji Kempo in 1947, revitalised the martial art that blends self-defense techniques with Zen philosophy. In India, it was reintroduced by Sensei Kirtie Kumar Futnani, who subsequently passed the leadership mantle to Dr Jude. This marked the inception of a determined journey to assemble a team for an international event, culminating in the prideful representation of six girls and nine boys at the tournament.
The art of defense
Most of us have watched the movie Kung Fu Panda. However, how many of you reading this are aware that each of the six main characters in the movie represents a distinct martial art, all of which were taught by Bodhi Dharman, a Buddhist monk and the Zen Master of Shaolin? Shorinji Kempo is another martial art from India that Bodhi Dharman introduced during his travels abroad. “This martial art utilises acupressure points for self-defense against opponents,” explains Dr Jude, a registered medical practitioner with a BAMS degree, underscoring the fact that Shorinji Kempo boasts the world’s largest headquarters in the realm of martial arts.
The Indian team is making its debut in this tournament. It features participants, known as ‘kinshis’, spanning ages 9 years to 67 years. They have followed three years of rigorous training under Dr Jude, who also serves as the Shorinji Kempo India’s country head. At the competition, team members will compete in solo embu, paired embu, and group embu categories. Taher K, a 13-year-old participant, shares, “I feel honoured to represent India on this esteemed international stage, and I hope all those early mornings I sacrificed for practice pay off.” The team has seized an opportunity to train for three days under various grandmasters at the Shorinji Kempo headquarters post-tournament. “I want them to gain insights from legendary grandmasters, especially those revered in the art,” says Dr Jude.
The days ahead
Shorinji Kempo is notably less recognised compared to other martial arts forms in India. Upon their return, the team intends to promote and expand the sport to other states. They have already initiated efforts in this direction by conducting classes and workshops in various locations across India, such as providing Shorinji Kempo classes for underprivileged children in Delhi’s slum areas, offering practice sessions for a Japanese school in Andheri, Mumbai, and organising workshops in Chennai and Bengaluru.
Khadija K, a 16-year-old student says, “I am eager to broaden the reach of this sport and share the valuable knowledge I’ve gained with others. As a team, we aspire to establish additional centres where people can join us and delve deeper into the world of Shorinji Kempo.”
As our conversation comes to an end, young Hatim eagerly shares his enthusiasm for participating in the tournament and making his Sensei proud. Here’s hoping they return after etching their names into the history of accomplished Shorinji Kempo players.