Mumbai’s Karate black belt bags ‘first’ honour

Shaheen Akhtar, 52, becomes first Indian woman to serve as officiating referee at the Asian Games

Mumbai's Shaheen Akhtar, 52, is a rarity. She is the first Indian woman to serve as an Officiating Referee at the Asian Games here. The assignment coincides with her appointment as a member of the Technical Committee of the Asian Karate Federation (AKF)—again she’s the first Indian to make it to this post. 

It’s not a common occurrence for a technical official from a certain sport to get appointed to a multi-discipline event like the Asiad from a country that is not participating in that sporting discipline at that Games. 

In that sense, Mumbai’s Shaheen Akhtar, 52, is a rarity.

Shaheen is the first Indian woman to serve as an Officiating Referee at the Asian Games here. The assignment coincides with her appointment as a member of the Technical Committee of the Asian Karate Federation (AKF)—again she’s the first Indian to make it to this post.

A four-time former national champion and 8th degree black belt, Shaheen, who grew up honing her karate skills at the Christ Church School in Byculla, has represented India at the 2008 Commonwealth Championships in Scotland and World Championship in Tokyo. Currently, she is among the most qualified WKF (World Karate Federation) and AKF female referees in South Asia.

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Shaheen is obviously disappointed that India have not participated in karate at this Asiad after the AKF refused to accept the entries of the Indian contingent picked by the Sports Authority of India as those names were not approved by the Karate India Organisation (KIO), which is recognised as the National Sports Federation of karate by the AKF and WKF. 

Late go-ahead

KIO did receive a court notification to go ahead with the team selection later, but it was too late as the last date for submission of entries had passed.

“It would’ve been great to see an Indian karate team participating here. Many athletes from India have won medals in international karate events like Premier League, Youth League, Series A and Commonwealth Karate Championships. In fact, India have been No. 1 in the medal tally for the South Asian Karate Championships for the last three years, so there is definitely talent in our country,” the Mazga on resident, who is the only woman among 42 referees selected from other Asian countries, told mid-day.

‘We need govt support’

The veteran karateka is hoping KIO receives the required government support and Indian karate comes shining through at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. “I’m sure that in the next Asiad India’s deserving karatekas will not just represent the country, but also win medals. All we need is government support in our endeavours,” added Shaheen, who will oversee the men’s and women’s karate events at the Linping Sports Centre Gymnasium from October 5-7.  

Speaking of the environment at the Games here, Shaheen said: “It’s brilliant and very vibrant. China have done a great job of organising everything perfectly and I’m delighted, honoured and blessed to be creating history by participating in it,” she signed off.

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