MADURAI: Narayanan from Madurai was 18 years old when he lost his father. He was shattered and didn’t know how to cope with the grief. He only knew that his biggest support system had collapsed.
What followed was an oddity. The youngster decided to learn something new to distract his mind and thus entered the world of Taekwondo. Narayanan and his dear ones hoped the martial art would build strength, both physical and emotional, thereby helping him to deal with emotions better.
However, it was a rough start for him. In 2009, Narayanan appeared on a big stage for a competition but he returned home feeling embarrassed by the loss. But that day became a turning point in his life as he decided to take up the martial art seriously. Through rigorous training, he moulded himself into a professional in Taekwondo, thanks to the help of his master Venkatesan.
Narayanan simultaneously excelled in academics as well and ended up being a software engineer. But, within three years of landing a well-paying job at a leading IT company, he quit the field to pursue a career in the martial art.
In 2015, Narayanan set up his own place — Madurai Taekwondo Academy. While he provides free classes for government school and college students, nominal fee is charged from others.
The 33-year-old says, “When I started assisting master Venkatesan in Chennai, I got to see a lot of people who got into the martial art to overcome conditions like addiction and depression. I was surprised to see the change Taekwondo brought in their lives. That’s how I decided to become a master of this art.” Narayanan notes that the majority of his students are youngsters. “Taekwondo made me confident, fit, and strong. By teaching the martial art to others, I feel my life has come full circle,” adds the master.
The professional says that all students will not fall under the same range of fitness. Narayanan usually studies each person’s ratio of fitness before aligning them in the ladder of the belts -- from white to black.
“It takes at least four years to excel in the martial art by completing all stages to attain the ‘dan’ black belt. However, neither your fitness nor your age matters here. As it is an item in the Olympics, medals and certification will also help students in attaining admission for higher studies under sports quota and even landing in government jobs,” he says.
Narayanan’s wife N Shruthy (28), who is also his student, says that learning a martial art has become vital for a woman. “He takes free classes for students of government schools and colleges, especially girls and even provides free training to them prior to competitions,” she says.
Narayanan holds 33 Guinness records for his several achievements in the martial art. Shruthy too holds two records and their eight-year-old daughter Samyuktha holds one. “I was a classical dancer and later started learning Taekwondo. The martial art helps me recharge and rejuvenate,” she adds.
Another student, G Lokesh Babu (35) who runs a paint shop in the city, says Narayanan is a Taekwondo instructor who was called on to Italy for a special performance.
A homemaker S Swetha (22) says that she now moves with more confidence, all credits to the martial art and her master who teaches it well. M Muthu Prasanna (21), one of Narayanan’s students who got into his favourite course through sports quota due to his achievements in Taekwondo, says his focus has also improved after learning the martial art.
T Godwin Vedanayagam Rajkumar (49), the first physical education teacher from the state to win the National Best Teacher award, is of the opinion that all physically-able people must learn a martial art to reduce stress, improve concentration and lead a healthy life.
“Narayanan has helped students to be more disciplined and focused. Learning a martial art does not mean promoting violence. It makes people more calm and responsible. Government school students usually stay away from such extra-curricular activities as they can’t afford to pay the fee and purchase kits or other necessary items. Narayananan’s deed is a true blessing for them. I hope he continues to do what he does and more people benefit from it.”
(Edited by Anagha R Manoj)