Tokyo: Tsering Dorjee, a young Tibetan from Gangtok, Sikkim, was awarded black belt Go-dan degree from International Karate Do Gojukai Association (IKGA), World Headquarter, Tokyo, Japan after going through the rigorous test and competitions in Tokyo. Go-dan degree, equivalent to PhD degree is considered to be one of the highest accomplishments in martial arts world.
A great fan of martial arts, Dorjee acquired his first black belt in 1992 from All India Budokai Association, Madras. He had earlier won the All India National Championship Gold Medal for three successive years in 1993, 1994 and 1995.
Dorjee worked at the Department of Security of Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala, India. He trains people in Karate and has many students under his guidance. In 2001, under the scholarship of TEIKI Security International, CTA sent him to Tokyo for further training. He practised for a year and half, during which he won San-dan. On returning to India, he continued teaching Karate to the young people.
Again in 2003, under TEIKI Security International’s scholarship, the department sent him again to Tokyo for two years up-grade his degree. He studied at Goju-kai Karate-Do in Tokyo. At the end of two years, he was awarded the Yon-dan in Karate and Sho-dan in Akido martial arts. Upon his return to India, he resumed his duty, where young Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese are trained in the art. Some seventy students under his guidance have acquired black belt in Karate.
In 2009, president of the Goju-kai Karate-Do invited him to complete the Go-dan in the martial art. Practising arduously for six months, Dorjee finally excelled the tests and the competitions on 20 January. The president of IKGA, Master Goshi Yamaguchi awarded him the coveted Go-dan degree amid big applause from the seniors and fellow student in the art.
Tsering Dorjee can be said as the first Tibetan to acquire Go-dan in Gojuryu Karate. He says he is inspired by His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s emphasis on becoming professional, and had worked hard to acquire this degree.
He plans to train good number of students, who can participate in the forthcoming World Karate Tournament scheduled in 2013 in Pune, India. He can be contacted at tdbudokai@yahoo.com
–Report filed by Tsewang Gyalpo, Office of Tibet, Japan
