Taking a long breath after her first bout, the 15- year- old Rukhsar of Rani Majra village smiled a triumphant smile. She had beaten her opponent Zubiya in the final match. She was not alone. There were many girls from several villages who were present there to showcase their feat following a long training in the art of self-defence imparted free by an accomplished woman coach Arti Saini. They are being groomed for participation in national Wushu Championship.
Saini said that she is training some 170 students coming from villages located in the vicinity of Rani Majra. “I am from a village myself. So I love to train these girls in the art of self- defence. I am preparing them for the upcoming national Wushu championship. Besides, it would stand them in good stead in future,” she said. A staff member of the girls’ hostel situated at Rani Majra village where 70 girls are now residing, Purnima said that the self -defence training has helped the girls imbibe self-confidence which they lacked previously. “We can now find a spring in their gait which indicates that they are brimming with self –confidence,” she said.
Giving details of the art of self-defence, Arti said that the crux of the thing lies in hitting without being hurt. “Lathi - wooden stick-being available in every rural household, I stress on the girls learning the art of using it for self-defence. The skill they are acquiring now would definitely help them take on any assault on their person that might come after they grow up,” she said.This is really life long experience.