Netinthi Karishma
Srikakulam: Her posture exudes determination and her unwavering gaze on her opponent reflects the confidence forged over three years of hard work. The 10-year-old's dedication to excelling in the little-known martial art of Pencak Silat has catapulted her into the limelight not just in Andhra Pradesh but across the country.
Daughter of farmer Netinthi Rajarao of Echerla upazila in Srikakulam district, Netinthi Karishma has also made a name for herself in other martial arts like Kung Fu and Karate, winning several state and national medals in the last three years.
Rajarao, who currently attends the International Delhi Public School (IDPS), noticed Karishma's interest in martial arts when she was seven years old and encouraged her with the support of IDPS principal T. Arjun Chakravarti.
She has trained in Kung Fu, Karate and Pencak Silat under Nakka Lakshman Naidu who runs the Bodhi Dharma Yuddha Kala Kshetram in Srikakulam. Karishma has been inducted into the Hall of Fame for her achievements in Pencak Silat.
She won a gold medal in solo and a silver medal in tanding category at the state-level Pencak Silat Championships and has been selected from the south for the national-level Pencak Silat Championships to be held in Puducherry on July 6. In 2023, she won bronze medals in the tanding category of the 4th Southern District Pencak Silat held in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and the All India Pencak Silat Martial Arts Championship held at Guru Gobind Singh Ji Indoor Stadium in Nanded, Maharashtra.
Karishma also won bronze medals in the national level Kung Fu Championships held at Indira Vignan Bhavan, Srikakulam in 2023 and in the weapons category at the Indo-Nepal Karate Championships.
Speaking to TNIE, IDPS principal T. Arjun Chakravarthy praised Karishma and expressed confidence that the 10-year-old will achieve great things on the international stage and bring glory to her family and school.
Karishma's father Raja Rao expressed his happiness and said that in this day and age, every girl should have the ability to protect herself even when she is weak without depending on others.
“I come from a small farming family and due to financial constraints, I did not have the opportunity to further my education. I do not want my daughters to suffer the same fate. I hope Karishma will reach new heights with her hard work, dedication and never-flinching attitude,” Rajarao asserted.
