Ludhiana: Karate champ credits father with Durban success

A second-year English Honours student at Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, Channdeep has been practising karate for five years

Channdeep Kaur Joshan, a 20-year-old karate champion from Ludhiana who brought laurels to the city by recently winning a silver medal in the kumite (50 kg) category at the Commonwealth Karate Championship, held in Durban, South Africa, got a rousing welcome upon her return to the city on Tuesday evening. She highlighted the role of her father and also coach behind her success.

Channdeep Kaur Joshan being welcomed by her family in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

A second-year English Honours student at Khalsa College for Women, Civil Lines, Channdeep has been practising karate for five years. Over the past three years, she has earned accolades at state, national and international levels, making her a rising star in the sport.

Channdeep’s karate journey started during the Covid-19 lockdown when she joined martial arts classes as a physical activity. “My parents always encouraged me to take up sports, but I wasn’t interested initially. I took it up as a hobby to stay active, but soon it became my passion,” she shared.

She hails her father Sarabjit Singh Joshan, a former national-level football champion, as her biggest motivator. “He couldn’t pursue a career in sports, so he inspired me to follow his dream. His constant support, along with my coach Prakash Kumar’s guidance, has helped me achieve success,” said Channdeep.

Channdeep’s impressive achievements include a gold medal at the Karate International Championship in Hyderabad (2022) and two silver medals at an international championship in Kolkata the same year. She also secured a bronze medal at the Martial Arts and Combat Sports event in Turkey in October 2022.

Her journey began in 2021 at the district level in Ludhiana, where she won a gold in kata and a silver in kumite. She went on to win in the 45-kg kumite category at the Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan (district level) last year, followed by a bronze at the state level in Mohali. This year, she bagged another silver in the same district-level event.

Apart from karate, Channdeep enjoys dancing and painting. However, her focus is clear—she aims to build a career in sports. “I once thought of a government job for stability, but now my dream is to become a globally recognised karate champion,” she said.

Channdeep is now preparing for the Karate Federation Cup in Varanasi, slated for December 28-29.