JOIN USLohith Vijay’s weapon of war is his shield of passion. He believes that there is no limit to reaching the skies and this is exactly what the youth aims at.
The 23-year-old is a qualified coach in fencing from the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports in Punjab and is now looking to extend his triumphs to schools.
He hopes to train school students in the art of fencing by making it a common sport. “I want to do this because fencing encompasses skill, defence and fitness,” says an eager Lohith. He has already approached six schools around the City with the proposal. “The response has been heartwarming so far. One school has even agreed to make fencing a part of its class hours itself and conduct the training separately for boys and girls. Students can participate in a lot of tournaments on a state, national and international level, and maybe someday the Olympics! Hopefully India will be put on the world map when it comes to fencing.”
His journey started when he was nine years old and six months down the line, after he won his first medal in the sub-junior category, there was no looking back.
“Fencing is the martial art of fighting with blades and is the only combat sport without weight class. Fencing abides by priority, which means that the fencer’s hit, the one who begins the offensive action first, will prevail over the opponent’s hit, unless the action fails. In other words, think of two cars at a stop sign. The car that moves first has right of way, and the other car must wait its turn.”
The spirited youth has worked under the Sports Authority of India, training the girl’s fencing team in Kerala. He has a multitude of feats to his name, the biggest being representing India at the Junior Commonwealth Championship in Malaysia and at the Junior Asian Championship in Philippines.
He considers his family and college as his biggest support systems. “My dad is an athlete and sports runs in our family, so he put me and my sister, who is also an Ekalavya awardee in fencing, into sports. My junior and degree colleges were also supportive when I had to leave the City and bunk classes to participate in different camps and championships,” he says.
However, the journey hasn’t been easy. “It’s a little hard to convince a few schools because they feel it’s not a safe sport. But it’s actually one of the safest sports because of the equipment it brings with it. Fencing provides a unique mix of physical, intellectual and emotional stimulation and is a great way to stay fit.”
He says that the essential equipment needed for fencing are jacket, gloves, mask, headgear and lame with and without sleeves. “We have already won awards on an international level. I believe we have the potential to go further if awareness about the sport increases,” sums up a hopeful Lohith.