Knowledge of martial arts is definitely an added advantage for cops engaged in the risky job of picking up ruffians. Bijoykumar, a senior civil police officer with the Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau, Special Cell, Kozhikode, and a karate exponent, proves this well in his profession by handling effectively situations involving law-breakers.
“During my assignment with the City Police Commissioner's anti-goonda squad, my karate skills helped me a lot in many cases. Later, during my service in Thamarassery and other rural police stations also the self-defence skill helped me much,” says Bijoykumar, a fourth Dan Black Belt holder from the Okinawan Shorinryu Karate Kobudo Association.
Karate is nothing but a family affair for this police officer. Bijoykumar and his son Akshay B Chandra, an upcoming sports talent who is studying in the tenth standard, have embarked on a mission to achieve heights in the martial art.His love for this martial arts form is clearly evident from the way he manages to balance his profession and passion. Bijoykumar, who bagged the Chief Minister's Police Medal for 2012, has been imparting karate lessons to many youths and students, despite his busy office schedule. Akshay bagged gold medals in the district championship in Koyilandi last year
“The word karate is a combination of two Japanese characters - kara, meaning empty, and te, meaning hand - thus it means ‘empty hand.' The Kerala Police Act allows circle I offices to grant permission to martial arts schools, but many officers have no knowledge of weapons and martial arts,” says Bijoykumar.
This police officer's aim is to propagate the real message of the martial art, intended at self-defence and discipline. It was during his SSLC days in 1988 that Bijoykumar started practising karate and achieved medals in state championships. Later, in 1993, he joined the Police Department at Malappuram. This year, he got the fourth Dan Black Belt of Okinawan Shorinryu Karate Kobudo Association in the national Shorin Ryu Black Belt Test. He is continuing his karate practice under K C Biswas.
His son Akshay started getting karate lessons under the guidance of Bijoykumar while he was studying in the second standard.
Later, he bagged many medals in the district and state championships. In 2009 he clinched the silver medal in the South Indian karate championship held at Kannur and also received a silver medal in the Japan Karate Tournament held in Kozhikode. He got his first Dan Black Belt in the karate championship held at Mazinagudi, Tamil Nadu, in 2010.