Me and my Best friend

My craze over martial art was from my childhood. I was then at primary level in a school where my parents got me admission. A Kyokushinkaikan trainer who was 3rd Dan taught us karate in school. Those days were like being at heaven. My love for karate grew. But it was just or three years in that school. My parents admitted me to a better school there at Raniganj. Whatever may I say about my craze, but there’s a proverb “when out of sight, its out of mind”…..the same happened. My karate came to a stop and I was in 2nd standard then. But somewhere deep in my heart was the flame flaring higher and higher. Since then three years passed. I was in class five and on my birthday my mother asked what I wanted as a birthday gift. I somehow managed to convince her to get admitted to the karate dojo where Sensei Mihir Bag taught Kyokushinkaikan Karate. I got trained under him for 4 years that is I had to leave his dojo (Karate School) when I was in 8th standard. When I was getting trained under Sensei Mihir Bag, I was a regular student of him, but I hardly gave any gradation test for belts, I gave exams for just two…orange and upper orange. But if I would have given tests for belts regularly, then I would have been holing black belt three or more years before present. But I don’t have to be sad any more after that day. For me just holding senior belt is not the matter, but learning and experiencing more. Just then a good news reached my ears. It was just shocking!!! My cousin brother who was doing Shinkyokushinkai karate got his black belt.

Here caused a great change in my view towards Kyokushin karate. My cousin explained the real reason behind the curtain. He said about Shinkyokushin karate, how big were their organization, and what the real difference is between Kyokushinkaikan and Shinkyokushinkai. These organizations have stemmed from Kyokushin and teach similar techniques but go by different names. The fact was something like this…Sosai Masutatsu Oyama, who was the founder of Kyokushin karate died on April 1994. When Sosai Masutatsu Oyama died the branch chiefs around the world was told that there was a will left by Sosai Oyama, and in that will said that Shihan Shokei Matsui was the one chosen to lid the Kyokushin Organization. Most of the branch chief respected the will of Sosai Oyama and give their support to Shihan Shokei Matsui. However, months later it was learn that the will was not signed by Sosai Oyama him selves but only by the witness. One of big problem was that the witness was the same person who was named as beneficiaries. As a result the validity of the will was question very seriously. As a consequence Shihan Yukio Nishida And Sosai Oyama's wife take this case to the Court and after long process the court of Japan declare that the will has not legal ground, and declare the will null, in the main court. The split of the Kyokushin Organization become inevitable, there were to bad thing said by the different groups that created to much hate between them which make almost impossible to get along each other. At present Shinkyokushinkai karate is more established than Kyokushinkaikan, ultimately it is the victory of the truth. But by heart I am speaking that both the styles are all the same and can be said twins walking one after the other. But in the sense I want to say is that Shinkyokushinkai karate has its popularity much more than that of its twin brother. Kyokushin Karate can also be described with these words:-Develop your own strength and be kind to others is probably what most parents want from their children. However, today it is not easy to educate the human people in moral questions. Probably that is why we today, can see a tremendous increase of young new comers to the Kyokushin Dojos around the world. Kyokushin is working hard to contribute to the education of the younger generation.
So after I came to know about the whole matter, I joined the Shinkyokushinkai organization on 30th march 2005.

My cousin, Sensei Sudipta Karmakar resides at Bankura. I started learning Shinkyokushinkai since then. I used to go Bankura whenever I got holidays. Till now also I go there, but as this year I am restricting myself to spend much time there as I have my 12th board examination this session. As my sensei is also my cousin, I usually stay in my aunt’s house there. It has passed mere than three years I am learning Shinkyokushinkai karate. But wholly till now I have spent more than 8 years practicing Kyokushin karate.

I got my first chance to meet Shihan Shivaji Ganguly on my first camp I attended on Digha. Shihan Shivaji Ganguly is the branch chief of whole Asia. He holds 6th Dan black belt in Shinkyokushinkai karate. He is also the board member of WKO (World Karate Organization). So he is the head body representing India to Japan. And rest of all for which I really feel glad is that Shihan Shivaji Ganguly is the chairman of Asia of WKO and our Head Quarter is at Kolkata, India. I have met him several times and took training under him. He is always ready to give away everything he learned from Kyokushin…from its founder….Sosai Mas Oyama. He is always ready to spread the Shinkyokushin way throughout the country. He walks on the way shown by Sosai.

Here are some of my mile stones in the field of karate life till now:-

1. I didn’t remember the correct day or date on which I started practicing karate, but it was in class
Prep and the second day in my school.
2. I left karate when I left that school and went to another school and the day was 26th of March 1999 and I was promoted to class III.
3. Joined karate second time in Sensei Mihir Bag’s dojo on 1st March 2002 when I was in class V.
4. My first gradation test on 10th October 2003.
5. I joined Shinkyokushinkai Organization on 30th March 2005.
6. My first karate camp (24th All India Shinkyokushin karate Summer Camp, Digha) held from 29th May to 3rd June 2007
7. My second karate camp (5th All India Shinkyokushin karate Winter Camp, Nainital) held from 21st December to 27th December 2007
8. I participated in 5th All India Shinkyokushin Classic Karate Championship. It was my first tournament participation. I was categorized under Senior Men Special Category.
9. I reached the final of the 5th All India Shinkyokushin Classic Karate Championship in our category and was able to be the runner up (2nd position) in Kumite (Fight) and got 3rd place in the performance of Kata (Imaginary form of fighting).
10. I attended a special camp named Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Karate Camp held at our H.Q. (Harish Park, Kolkata) on 20th January 2008.
11. I fought consecutively with 11 fighters on 15th of May 2008.
12. I attended the 25th All India Shinkyokushin karate Summer Camp, Digha from 26th May to 31st May 2008. A special guest, Shihan Peter Volke (6th Dan black belt, board member of WKO and Member of gradation committee of WKO) visited India and gave training.I appeared for Shodan in 25th All India Shinkyokushin karate Summer Camp, Digha on 30th of May 2008. My dream came true... I gave the gradation test for Shodan (1st Dan Black Belt).

I love Shinkyokushinkai karate very much. Since now I have spent more than 8 years practicing karate. There is a promise and a determination in my heart regarding Shinkyokushinkai. The promise is to obey the rules and regulations of Kyokushin and nourish it within me and my karate colleagues and I will practice karate all through my life. And the determination is to be a National Champion at least for once and I know that I will be able to do that if I owe my stern hard work behind it, and I will make that happen…..it is a sincere promise of me to Shinkyokushinkai.

I consider Shinkyokushin karate to be my Best Friend........and this is just my beginning in the field of Martial Art....

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