Age does not decide what a person can or cannot achieve, and Bhaskar Sen, India’s young karate champion, is proof of that. At seven, an age when most children are getting to know poems and fairy tales, the boy from Amity International School, Saket (Delhi), took his first steps in karate. Bhaskar, who is loyal and gritty, took up the sport after being inspired by his elder brother, then a top-ranked national player. He recently won a bronze medal for India at the 6th Commonwealth Karate Championships 2011 in Sydney. He holds a first-dan black belt.
Introduction to karate
“I have been at Amity International School since nursery. Every child in the school has to take up karate from kindergarten. I took it a little too seriously and carried on with it. I had strong backing, as my brother was a karate player and he motivated me a lot to take the first grade belt in 2001. It was also my coach, Sensei Tarun Chakrabarty, who came up to me and asked whether I would like to take it forward professionally, because he could see that I had it in me to take the sport to the next level. I never looked back after that. It has been 10 years and I still have the same passion and energy I had when I started,” said the 16-year-old, who won bronze for India at the recent Commonwealth Karate Championships in Sydney.
Early days
Like everyone else, he had to wait for his first success. He won his first medal at the Kobe Osaka Shito Ryu Championships in 2003. “I didn’t win the first time I stepped into the ring. It took me a good three years to earn my first medal, a bronze at the Kobe Osaka Shito Ryu Championships. It was a major boost, and I realised I was on the right track,” said Bhaskar.
Much of the credit for those early days goes to his parents. His mother was a little apprehensive at first but eventually agreed. “Initially I was not that confident about the whole thing. But he asked me for a chance, and I also saw the potential in him, so I agreed. He has made the most of that one opportunity, and I am very happy I let him take up karate,” said Nupur Sen, Bhaskar’s mother.
Determination
“When I came into martial arts, I didn’t know much about the sport. But one thing I knew was that I would never leave karate for anything. I don’t even know if that was impulsive, because I was too young to understand what it meant. I have had my share of frustrations in my 10 years in karate: going out in the first round, injuries, and missing tournaments because of unavoidable circumstances, to name a few. But I never let any of that become an obstacle. I took everything as experience and carried on with my passion, karate,” said Bhaskar.
“Confidence shows in his eyes. He takes karate very seriously and does not get distracted from it, no matter what. Even while practising, he does it as though he is in a real bout. He personifies perfection. If he knows he is not doing something correctly, he will keep trying until he is satisfied. He is not easily flattered,” said his coach, Sensei Tarun Chakrabarty.
Bhaskar was clear that if he had to choose between studies and karate, he would choose his studies. That does not mean he would cut himself off from karate. He would carry on with it, though not at a professional level. “Nothing can separate me from karate. I will keep doing it as long as I am physically fit,” he said.
Larger-than-life character
Bhaskar, who has brought glory to the country in karate, is a multi-talented boy who has achieved more than his age would suggest. Besides karate, he is also an actor and appeared in a serial called ‘Magic Tent’, in which his co-star was the great Naseeruddin Shah. He has appeared in or done voice-overs for more than 24 advertisements, including the famous ‘Epang Opang’ Horlicks advertisement and ESPN’s FIFA World Cup 2006 advertisement. He also has a diploma in music from the Prayag Sangit Samiti and has won a few inter-school music competitions. He is a bright student too. Despite his busy schedule, he cleared his Class 10 exams with flying colours, scoring a CGPA of 9.6, and has enrolled in the science stream with a view to studying engineering. “All this cultural side comes naturally to me, as my parents are closely associated with the arts. You could say it is in my genes. I want to become an actor when I grow up, but again, not at the cost of karate,” said Bhaskar, who is a big fan of Amitabh Bachchan, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, among others.
Sweetheart among the elders
Bhaskar is a favourite among his family and elders, which is no surprise, as he has excelled at everything he has tried. “My son is a totally different person at home. Despite his achievements at such a young age, he keeps himself very grounded. He is never disobedient and knows how to respect elders. To sum up, he has everything parents would want in a child,” said Nupur. “Every student in my camp has a fixed time for practice. If someone is late, they are punished. But he is exempt. He can come in whenever he wants,” added Sensei Tarun Chakrabarty.
Perfect balance
Bhaskar, who is involved in so many things, knows how to balance them all, and he prioritises according to the need of the hour. “His time management is very good. We do not have to tell him anything. He knows what has to be done, when and how. I guess that is why he is good at everything he does,” said his father, Vivekanda Sen.
Support
In India, where sports other than cricket get little attention, the burden of raising funds falls on the athletes themselves, and Bhaskar is no stranger to that. Despite his achievements, he still has no sponsors. He has been supported throughout by his family and his school, Amity International, which recognised his talent at a very young age and has backed him in every possible way. “I get help from the All India Karate Federation (AIKF) in terms of exposure. They send me to all the major tournaments around the world, and I am very thankful to the AIKF for the opportunities. But when it comes to money, it is always my parents and my school who have supported me,” said Bhaskar.
Goal
He wants to be a world champion and make India proud, and he wants karate to become popular in India, so that people know about it, like it and appreciate it. “I will definitely aim to become world champion. More than that, I will work hard to make this sport popular in India. It is very much a sport, and it takes much more than throwing your arms and legs at your opponent. I urge the media to shed some light on karate as well,” said Bhaskar.
Major achievements
- CKF 6th Commonwealth Karate Championships, Sydney, 2011: bronze medal
- CKF 5th Commonwealth Karate Championships, South Africa, 2009: bronze medal
- All India Kotaka Ha Cup, 2009: gold medal
- 12th All India Kamagata Cup, Delhi, 2009: gold medal
- All India Kotaka Ha Cup, 2008: gold medal
- President’s Award and Sports Scholarship by Amity, 2009
- All Japan Seito Ryu Seiko Kai Independence Cup, 2007: bronze medal
- Kobe Osaka Shito Ryu Championships, 2004: bronze medal
Bhaskar could easily turn to acting, music or engineering, but his love of karate keeps him in the sport, and going by his character, he is not going to fade away any time soon.
By Samikshan Dutta Choudhury
Indian Sports News
