Shravasti Won Gold @ Maharashtra State Karate Championship 2025 May

My Little Champion: Shravasti's Golden Moment

My heart swells with pride as I write this. My little girl, Shravasti, just won GOLD at the Maharashtra State Karate Championship! And she's only eight! In the Under 30 kg category, no less!

It feels like just yesterday she was a tiny tot, barely able to hold a stance. Now, she's a force of nature on the karate mat. This journey has been incredible, not just for Shravasti, but for our whole family.

Our days are a whirlwind, to say the least. My wife, Sneha, is a superwoman. She manages Shravasti's rigorous training schedule, which includes regular practice sessions, and still has the energy to chase after our two-year-old tornado, little Ashwat. He's a handful, constantly demanding attention and keeping us on our toes.

I do my best to help, juggling work and family life. There are days when I feel like I'm running a marathon, from dropping Shravasti off at the Tyska somedays, to picking her up after, helping with her playing activities at home, and then rushing to her evening practice.

Sneha and I have had to become experts in time management, tag-teaming responsibilities, and running on what sometimes feels like sheer willpower. There have been countless late nights, deep discussions, watching endless karate videos on youtube and weekends spent traveling to tournaments. We've sacrificed a lot, but seeing Shravasti's dedication and passion makes it all worthwhile.

Shravasti's journey hasn't been without its challenges. There have been moments of doubt, tears after tough losses, and the constant pressure to balance school and karate. But through it all, she has shown incredible resilience and determination. She's not alone in this effort. She has a good friend in building who's also is her Tyska mate Aryan he owned Bronze medal in the tournament "Kudos to him and family". Who has been her training partner in days when there was no Tyska classes. 

Her coach, Anup Sensei has been a pillar of support, guiding her, pushing her, and believing in her potential. Sumit sensei has always believed in her and pushed her to win. A good player should have good hearing because if she/he listens carefully then only she/he will implement it on mat for a win. 

Aryan is a good observer and mentor for her, he observes her matches in the class and remembers what is she good at and where she needs more training and practice. He has enhanced her karate skills to her extent. Whatever training she gets in Tyska they practice at home, monitored by Sneha and sometimes me. 

Shravasti and Aryan have one more good friend in Tyska Anvika who also owned Bronze medal in the same tournament "Kudos to her and family". Anvika's father is coach outside the karate class. He is more passionate then i am. All three meet at Raje Sambhaji uddyan during non session of Tyska which has great impact on all three to win the medals, it is like watching stars shine in dark sky.  

The day of the championship was a rollercoaster of emotions, we started off at 10 am in our car towards Balewadi Stadium, Pune. We had our lunch in Sadda Punjab which was delicious. Then we reached the stadium and there the atmosphere was electric, the competition fierce. 

Many players from corner of Maharashtra state were playing as per the schedule category published by the Maharashtra Karate federation. Age groups starting from 7 years along with their coaches and family were present in the stadium.

Shravasti's match on 11th May 2025 started around 17: 20 PM with single rounds of 1 minute each. She defeated her first opponent with clear dominance, then she entered semi finals where she was equal with her opponent, we were anxious that she gets one more point but to our surprise she raised a kick and she got an hippon straight 3 points and she's in lead and she entered in finals smoothly, Final match she own with her strategy and advice she got from Sumit Sensei which guided her to win. 

Sneha and I watched, our hearts pounding in our chests, as Shravasti fought her way through each round. Sneha was cheering her and i was watching with Ashwat, bless his little heart, was surprisingly well-behaved (mostly!), cheering for his big sister with enthusiastic shouts of "Go, akka, go!".

When Shravasti won her final bout, the feeling was indescribable. I felt a lump in my throat, tears of joy welling up in Sneha's eyes.  All the hard work, all the sacrifices, all the efforts and trainings – it all culminated in that one glorious moment.

Seeing Shravasti standing on that podium, the gold medal around her neck, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride. She bowed down to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Idol on podium and clicked picture with Chairman of Karate Association. My little girl, my champion, had achieved something truly special.

This victory is not just Shravasti's; it's a testament to the love, support, and dedication of our entire family. It's a reminder that with hard work, perseverance, and a little bit of craziness, anything is possible. 

As we celebrate this moment, I know that Shravasti's journey is just beginning. She's qualified for Nationals, and I can't wait to see what she accomplishes next. But for now, I'm going to cherish this victory and spend some quality time with my amazing family – my little champion, my superwoman wife, and my energetic little boy. We've earned it!