I am Mr. Parshu Ram Bastola, a great Nepali athlete. I have shown extraordinary abilities in the field of Karate sport in Nepal by winning many medals in national and international tournaments. I have witnessed my amazing sparring skills in various tournaments through which I have received many awards and honors throughout my sports career.
Karate discipline is one of the truly international sports disciplines of Nepal. I have been a National Player of Nepal Karate Federation and a National Champion. I have also completed the National Judge/Referee Course organized by NKF Referee Council and Shito-ryu Karate Assistant Coach Training Course organized by National Sports Council Nepal.
I have been training in Karate for more than thirty years now. I am holding the 3rd Dan Black Belt(Sandan). The word karate is a combination of two Japanese characters: kara, meaning empty, and te, meaning hand; thus, karate means “empty hand.” … In traditional karate-do, we always keep in mind that the real opponent is yourself. “Mind and technique are one in true karate.” I would like to share how karate has helped me develop as a person and provided me with the tools to defend myself.
I have proven myself to be an extraordinary athlete by being consistently selected as a member of the Nepal National Karate Team for over 8 years. As a member of the team, I have participated in many international tournaments representing Nepal. I have also proven my abilities by winning many international games and championships, including 15 gold medals, 3 silver medals, and 8 bronze medals, and then I have participated in 12 different championships.
I have also proven my abilities by winning many national games and championships, including 12 gold medals and 3 bronze medals. I have been honoured and awarded by the Honourable President Dr. Rambaran Yadav, Honourable Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Honourable Minister Ram Kumar Shrestha, Honourable Minister Bhim Rawal, Honourable Member Secretary Yubaraj Lama and Honourable Member Secretary Keshav Kumar Bista. Moreover, I have won the Nepal National & International Players Association( NNIPA) Best Player of the Year Award 2016.
First of all, I would like to describe Karate as a self-defence martial art, because that is what it is. In a world where we are increasingly exposed to the dangers of crime, it is important to know some self- defence moves, because no one knows if they might find themselves in a situation where they have to use them. Through karate I have developed the speed with which I react when someone throws a punch and I have learned how to get out of holds and grabs.
What do I like most about my karate training?
I love that every lesson I attend ensures that I learn something new and that no two karate lessons are ever the same. Also, all the instructors are great. They know everyone by name, they all want the best for their students and they sacrifice their time every week to teach us which is truly inspiring and grateful.
Karate has also developed my character and personality. I am very shy and I didn’t think I would train for this long and enjoy it this much. I am on cloud nine after a karate lesson. Sure, there are weeks where I feel down about karate but most people have that from time to time. Karate has definitely improved my self-confidence. I was an assistant instructor for two years. I helped teach a class, which I never thought I would be able to do, but I did it and I am very proud of myself for achieving this and hope to do it again in the future.
My main goal in karate is to produce the best karateka, which I will continue to strive for. My favorite quote about karate is “a black belt is a white belt that never gives up” because it is a simple but powerful message that teaches us not to give up on our dreams. To conclude, I appreciate my karate journey and am happy that it has helped shape the person I am today. I can’t imagine my life without it. I have been training karate for over thirty years now and am officially a coach.
