Barbil: The Parmanand Pandey Memorial Cup – 1st All Odisha JKA Karate Championship–2026, organised by JKAWF INDIA Odisha, successfully concluded at St. Mary’s School, Barbil, bringing together karate practitioners from different parts of Odisha for a two-day celebration of Japanese Karate Association (JKA) Karate.
The championship featured a specialised training camp for senior students, a belt examination and a state-level karate tournament. The training camp provided participants with an opportunity to strengthen their technical skills and deepen their understanding of JKA Karate under the guidance of experienced instructors. The belt examination assessed the technical knowledge and proficiency of participating students.
The state-level tournament witnessed enthusiastic participation across various age and skill categories, with young karate practitioners showcasing their talent, discipline, confidence and sportsmanship.
The Opening Ceremony was graced by Padma Shri Tulsi Munda, Founder, Adivasi Vikash Samity and Chief Guest; Rakesh Kumar Panda, Tehsildar, Barbil; Sr. Archana, Vice Principal, St. Mary’s School, Barbil; and Chandragupt Prasad, Convenor, BJP State OBC Morcha.
The Closing Ceremony was also attended by several distinguished guests. Debendranath Pingua, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Barbil, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The other dignitaries included Pravesh Pandey, Arya Iron and Steel Company; Nimalani Mahanta, President, Ring Fight Federation Odisha and MP Representative, Barbil, Guest of Honor; Ganeswar Bhuyan, Senior Manager, Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), Jilling; Appala Swamy Barla, Plant Head, Brahmani River Pellets Private Limited; and Sachchidanand Pandey, younger brother of Late Parmanand Pandey.
The championship was organised in memory of Late Parmanand Pandey, with the Memorial Cup commemorating his legacy through the promotion of sports and youth development. The event aimed to promote JKA Karate among young athletes while encouraging discipline, physical fitness, dedication, perseverance, confidence and sportsmanship.
The event was attended by senior office-bearers and technical officials of JKAWF India, including Somnath Pal Chowdhary, Chairman, JKAWF India; Arindam Sikdar Sensei, Member, JKAWF India Technical Committee; Anil Kumar Singh, President, JKAWF India Odisha; and Sandeep Gupta, Vice President, JKAWF India.
Dharmanshu Pandey, Secretary, JKAWF INDIA Odisha, led the organisation and coordination of the championship along with the Odisha team and officials.
The successful conclusion of the championship provided a strong platform for emerging karate talent and further strengthened the JKA Karate movement among the youth of Odisha.
