Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 17 Jan: The capital witnessed the grand inauguration of the 8th International Taekwondo Championship (Kyorugi, Poomsae and Speed Kicking), organized by the Uttarakhand Sports Taekwondo Association. The championship was ceremonially inaugurated by the Chief Guest, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, former Governor of Maharashtra and Goa and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, who formally opened the event by performing board breaking while dressed in Taekwondo attire.
On this occasion, Dr S Farooq, Chairperson, Uttarakhand Sports Taekwondo Association; Korean Grand Master Seong Kuk Jeong; Grand Master Jimmy R Jagatyani; Siddharth Bansal, Representative of the Member of Parliament; Manish Upreti, and several other distinguished guests were present.
During the inaugural ceremony, a message sent by the Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami addressed to the players was read out from the stage. In his message, the Chief Minister stated: “Witnessing this international sporting event on the sacred land of Devbhoomi is a matter of immense pride and joy. This championship is not limited to sports alone; it is a powerful symbol of discipline, self-control, courage and international brotherhood. Uttarakhand has, for centuries, been a land of yoga, spiritual practice, values and inner strength. Today, hosting an international-level event of a disciplined and dynamic sport like Taekwondo on this very land is proof that the state is making continuous progress in the field of sports as well. This is a proud moment for the entire state and an important step towards giving Uttarakhand a new identity on the national and international sports map in the times to come.”
Chief guest Bhagat Singh Koshyari, while blessing the young players, encouraged them to participate in the competition with true sportsmanship. He also warmly welcomed all the players, technical officials, coaches and trainers who had arrived from India and abroad to Uttarakhand. On this occasion, he also released the souvenir “Rising Era – Volume 9.”
Following the inaugural ceremony, a Jaunsari cultural programme was presented, showcasing the rich local culture. During the event, a young Taekwondo player named Ayat Ahmed was honoured with a cash award of ₹11,000 in recognition of her talent.
Organising Secretary Javed Khan informed that approximately 450 players and 45 technical officials from India and abroad are participating in this championship. The competition is being organized for both men and women, covering Senior, Junior, Cadet and Sub-Junior categories across all weight divisions. All winning players are to be honoured with medals and certificates, and all Indian medal winners will get the opportunity to participate in the upcoming G1 Ranking International Taekwondo Championship, scheduled to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 13 to 18 February 2026.
