3 students from Coimbatore selected to represent India

Coimbatore, Jun 11 (UNI) All India Karate Do Federation (AKF) has selected three students, including a girl from Coimbatore District Karate Do Association (CKA), to represent India in the World Karate Federation's (WKF) first WKF youth camp and the World Cup scheduled to be held at Chalkida, Greece from June 29.

Addressing a press conference here today, CKA President Sensai R Muthuraj said, ''R Anandhakannan, two students of GRG Higher Secondary School, P Srikanth, a student of Mani Higher Secondary School and M Kiruthika, eighth standard student in GRD Metric Higher Secondary School, were among the 35 students selected from all over the country for the tournament.'' He said all the karatekas would assemble at Chennai one week prior to their departure to Greece for training. The Indian team would be led by AKF President Sensei Karate R Thyagarajan and General Secretary Sensei P R Ramesh.

Mr Muthuraj urged the Tamil Nadu and the Centre to support these students to participate at the world level. ''Each student has to spend a minimum of Rs 85,000 for this tour and their respective school and CKA have come forward to sponsor about 50 per cent of the funds,'' he said and added that they were looking out for corporate sponsors for the remaining funds.

Mr Muthuraj expressed hope that if the Government will come forward to help the authorised District Karate Association financially, they could bring a number of talented students.

UNI KS GKT RAR KN1933