Tarun to represent India at para karate c’ship in Egypt
His qualification follows his gold-medal winning performance at the Asian Para Karate Championship in Uzbekistan earlier in May.
Khanna’s para karate champion Tarun Sharma once again rose to the occasion by securing a place at the prestigious Para World Karate Championship, slated to be held in Egypt from November 27 to 30. His qualification follows his gold-medal winning performance at the Asian Para Karate Championship in Uzbekistan earlier in May.
Last month, Tarun added another feather to his cap with a gold medal in the senior male kata category at the International Open Karate Championship held in Batala. The win became even more special after three of his own students also bagged gold in their respective categories.
Tarun’s life story is a moving example of resilience and determination. At the tender age of six, he suffered a paralytic attack that left him partially disabled. Coming from a financially weak background, he once worked as a vegetable vendor to support his family. Despite the hardships, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a martial artist. His life took a turning point when, in a symbolic act of protest, he polished shoes outside Khanna’s mini secretariat to highlight the plight of unemployed para athletes. The incident went viral and caught the attention of government officials, eventually leading to his appointment as a deputy clerk in the Khanna Municipal Corporation last year.
Today, Tarun’s achievements are an inspiration to countless others. Over the years, he has represented India on several international platforms, winning medals at the USA Open Karate Championship in Las Vegas, the Commonwealth Karate Championship in South Africa, and competitions in Hungary, Malaysia, and Ireland, thus earning him recognition as one of India’s top para karatekas.
Beyond his personal success, Tarun is devoted to giving back to society. Through his karate academy in Khanna, he has trained over 1,400 underprivileged girls in self-defense. However, despite his impressive record and upcoming participation in the world championship, Tarun expressed disappointment over the lack of financial support. “I have to go for the championship, but there has been no assistance from the Sports Authority of India or the state and district sports departments,” he said.
