SHILLONG: The beginning of the year has brought a major boost for Kudo athletes in Meghalaya, with players receiving specialised training from experienced national-level coaches as part of efforts to strengthen the sport in the state.
The first-ever Kudo training camp in Meghalaya was held at Mawlai Phudmuri, drawing the participation of nearly 100 trainees. The camp was conducted by Shiban Jasmine Makwana, Head Coach of Maharashtra, and Renshi Priyank Rana, Seminar In-charge, in the presence of Kudo Association of Meghalaya President Pynshai Mawrie.
Speaking to the media, Mawrie expressed his appreciation to the visiting coaches from Maharashtra and Gujarat for their contribution towards promoting Kudo in Meghalaya. He also urged the Sports Department and the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) to grant official recognition to the Kudo Association of Meghalaya, which would enable athletes from the state to participate in national and international competitions.
Mawrie noted that the Meghalaya Kudo team had participated in a competition in Gujarat last year, securing several medals. Emphasising the importance of formal recognition, he appealed to the MSOA to expedite the process so that young players could avail government scholarships through the Sports Department.
Addressing the gathering, Renshi Priyank Rana said that Kudo is a martial art and competitive sport introduced by actor Akshay Kumar. He added that children enrolled in Kudo training are not required to pay any fees. Rana stated that the Association supports medal-winning athletes by facilitating employment opportunities in government departments, the police, armed forces, banks and other sectors.
He further highlighted that the organisation provides free self-defence training for women aged between 8 and 80 years, adding that nearly one lakh women have benefitted from these programmes so far.
The successful conduct of the training camp is being viewed as a significant step towards the growth of Kudo in Meghalaya, reflecting sustained efforts to identify talent and promote sports across the state.
