Our Correspondent
Itanagar: All India Karate-Do Federation of India (AIKFI) vice president Shihan Likha Tara has been elected as its president on Tuesday. He is first form NE India to rise to such national rank to ink history.
After forming Arunachal Karate-Do Association in 1992 as founder-president, simpleton Tara went to Japan for training in 2000 to receive Black Belt 1st Dan and for month-long training again under Japan Karate Association to get Black Belt 2nd Dan and joined World Karate-Do Federation (WKF).
He continued to take training to get Black Belt 7th Dan from WKF and honoured with Shihan title as a senior trainer. His contribution to the martial art led him to become joint secretary of AIKFI and later rose to the rank of VP in 2014, besides being elected president of North East Karate-Do Federation of India.
He had contested for presidentship in 2018 whose result was officially announced in New Delhi by returning officer-cum-high court retired judge Rekah Sharma. Tara received 26 votes of the total 34 affiliated state units of AIKFI.
Tara has carved a niche for himself in global martial art platform by setting up a training institute at his own cost in his housing complex here to train state karatekas who won regional, national and global laurels by winning medals.
This turned karate into a junoon across the state for him to start karate training centre in 18 of the total 26 district HQs of the state to facilitate training for the willing karatekas. He on receiving invitation also has set up such training centre at Darjeeling (2014), Guwahati (2015), Patna (2016) besides in Bhutan and Nepal (both in 2016) and planning one in Dubai.
"He is most deserving personality for the post for his commitment to take state karatekas to global level at personal initiatives," said Indian Olympic Association vice president Padi Richo, adding that Indian karatekas will rise to much higher pedestal under his guidance.
Overwhelmed with the development, Indian Weightlifting Federation vice president-cum-Arunachal Olympic Association (AOA) secretary general Abraham K Techi congratulated Shihan Tara, saying such achievements are rare. This path-breaking man deserves appreciation from every Arunachalees for winning laurels for the state.
Also read: Arunachal News