Two students of Apeejay School, Tanda Road, Jalandhar, have made the school proud by excelling in martial arts. Bhav Agaarwal of Class VII won two Gold Medals — one at the 14th District Kickboxing Championship and another at the 3rd Vovinam State Championship — showcasing his dedication and skill. Adding to the school’s success, Harkunwar Singh Dhuper of Class V secured a Silver Medal at the state-level event.
These achievements reflect the growing talent and determination of the students, guided by their dedicated coach. The school Principal congratulated the young achievers and praised the coach for his efforts, encouraging all students to take part in co-curricular activities that nurture confidence and resilience.
Speaking about his achievements, Bhav shared that winning the medals holds immense significance for him. His journey in martial arts began in Class VI when his school introduced martial arts classes. Encouraged by his mother, he joined the sessions and trained for about a year before taking a break. “A couple of months ago, I resumed my training and decided to participate in the district tournament. It was my school sports, sir, who motivated me,” he said.
Over the past year, Bhav has learnt several martial arts techniques. “Some moves were tough at first, but with regular practice, I improved. I usually warm up and train at home for 30 to 45 minutes,” he explained, adding that he plans to resume formal classes in July.
Recalling the competition, he said one of his matches — a point fight — was against a friend. “I was nervous, but he received a few warnings, and his points were cancelled. That helped me win.” Bhav won both a Gold and a Silver medal in kickboxing. He added, “Kickboxing and martial arts have similar rules, though techniques differ.”
Bhav, who started his training in Class V, also secured a Bronze at the 3rd Punjab State Cadet and Junior Taekwondo Championship. The championship was held at Lovely Professional University. His other achievements include a Gold in the 20th Punjab State Cadet Kickboxing Championship 2024-25, held at Bhai Sangat Singh Khalsa College, Banga, SBS Nagar (April 19-21, 2024). He participated in the Cadet National Kickboxing Championship held at Pune, Maharashtra, from May 21-25, 2024.
Apart from martial arts, Harkunwar enjoys playing football. “My interest in martial arts began when our school coach encouraged me to participate in a match. That experience sparked my passion for the sport,” he shared. Last year, he won a bronze medal at the district level in kickboxing. This year, he secured a silver medal at the state level.
Harkunwar’s favourite move is the back kick, though he finds moving sideways a bit challenging. “Our coach trains us well. We start with warm-ups and then practice for one to two hours,” he said. “The best part of kickboxing is winning a medal. It feels like I’ve achieved something,” he said in conclusion.