DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 2: The 29th edition of the Annual State Level Tournament 2016 of All Nagaland Shaolin Kung-fu Association (ANKSKA) got underway at the Badminton Indoor Stadium in Dimapur on Wednesday.
Member of the Lok Sabha Neiphiu Rio attended the occasion as the chief guest. In his address, Rio maintained that the purpose of martial art was to defend and protect oneself and not harm others.
The Naga people are reactive and restless, he remarked, and ‘easily tend to lose control over emotion or anger.’ But, he assured that Shaolin Kungfu can teach one a life of discipline. He encouraged the students to learn the art with sincerity calling it an exercise that has the ability to provide a balanced personality and facilitate better and accurate decision-making.
Shaolin Kung-fu, the MP said, can lead us to become better persons. “When you become a better person, the society becomes better,” the former chief minister of Nagaland said.
Rio, who started a host of youth-centric programs in Nagaland during his tenure as chief minister, also encouraged the players to take part in competitions at the national arena. He reminded them that participation was more important than winning.
Later Rio declared the tournament open.
220 participants from various districts are taking part in the tournament.
