Ranchi: A sports teacher from Kanke, Ranchi, is empowering schoolgirls with self-defence skills, dedicating his time and expertise without charge.
Shakil Ansari, a physical trainer with black belts in both Martial Arts and Taekwondo, has been providing free training in government schools for the past seven years.
Ansari travels 25 kilometres from Kanke to SS Plus Two High School, Childag, every Monday and Friday to train students from class VI to class XII in Karate and Taekwondo.
Ansari said, “In accordance with the education department’s initiative to teach self-defence to girls, I began training students in Childage in 2017. Initially, I was paid for three months, but I realised that such a short duration was not enough. So, I decided to continue the training for free, two days a week. In a year, I receive about fifteen thousand rupees from one school, but I provide training in nearly seven schools.”
A graduate in Arts from Ranchi University, Ansari began his martial arts journey in 2010 with Combet System India, Bariatu, earning a black belt in 2015.
He later received his black belt in Taekwondo in 2019 from the Jharkhand United Taekwondo Martial Arts Association, where he now serves as a state coach.
While his livelihood comes from training students in private institutions such as Ahmad Ali Modern High School, Sulabh International Public School, Kids Garden Public School, Mount Hera School, and BNN Girls’ School, Ansari has dedicated himself to offering free training in government schools.
“My income comes from private schools, but in government schools I am only compensated for three months. For the rest of the year, I train the girls free of cost to build their confidence. Many of them have gone on to compete at state-level competitions,” he said.
Over the years, Ansari has extended his training to several government institutions, including 2 High School Jonha Angara, Government S.S. 2 High School Childag Angara, Government Upgraded Urdu Middle School Putkal Toli Tatu, Government Middle School Nagdi, Upgraded 2 High School Pithoriya Kanke, Government Middle School Chakla Ormanjhi, S.S. 2 High School Ormanjhi, and T.U.S.S.V. Project Girls’ High School Ormanjhi.
