INTERVIEW WITH
Vispy Kapadia is the living legend of Karate in this part of the globe. He was trained under 10th degree red belt “HANSHI GOGEN YAMAGUCHI”
the living God of karate, and later from his son HANSHI GOSHI YAMAGUCHI “ the current grand master. Vispy earned the unique distinction and honour of being today the Asia Co-ordinator of I.K.G.A.(International Karate-do Gojukai Association), the highest rank conferred by Japan Association to a non-Japanese. He made 44 trips to Japan in pursuit going from grade to grade to reach 7th degree black belt. With more than 3 decades of pursuit to his credit, he is an authority to be reckoned. Here is an interesting and inspiring information about Karate, Vispy and his continuous contribution, growth and pursuit for perfection. Tell us about karate as a martial art ? The literal meaning of the word "KARATE" is empty hand. "KARA" meaning empty, and "TE" meaning hand. Karate is recipe of balance, power, speed, timing, technique, breathing -all very well co- ordinated and synchronized.
What are your achievements ?
After being a teacher of karate for thirty years, I still feel that I have yet to achieve the best moment in my life.These last thirty years as a teacher have been very gratifying, having taught more than five to six lakh youngsters in Mumbai city alone, imparting training in the best schools and children at the grass root level. I have personally trained all the wings of the Maharashtra State Police Force,and various other All India Police Forces for which I was the first person to have been conferred the Shiv Chhatrapati award by the Government of Maharashtra, apart from other national level awards. Which are the other self-defence Arts and
How do you rate karate among them ?
There are many other self-defence arts such as Judo, Aikido, Shorinji Kempo, Taekwondo etc. However, today Irate karate is the best and most successful martial art in Mumbai city and India. It does not require any expensive equipment, can be practiced anywhere and has also proved to be result oriented especially in multiple attacks.
How does martial arts benefit a person in day to day life, social and spiritual life?
Martial Arts gives a lot of self confidence and self control in a human being to face the twists and turns of life. It develops an inner strength and strikes a good co-ordination as well as balance of body and mind. It teaches you
control and makes you conscious of the amount of strength and power you yield in your body. It gives you a sense of discipline, respect and attitude which are integral attributes of life. It also helps you to develop your spiritual self through meditation and rigorous hours of training. Your message to readers and tips to aspirants. In today's times, majority of participants are children. This is a worldwide phenomenon. Parents should be very instrumental in edging and pushing their children to continue karate training once the children are involved in it. Children should be very focussed and should aspire to achieve the minimum black-belt level. This will instill a good level of confidence which is very much required in growing children. Fighting, breaking techniques, etc are only one aspect of karate and not a yardstick to measure one's strength and capabilities. Children should strive in having an all round development with studies coming first and karate a close second. One should never misuse this noble art and should not use it on the aged, weak and poor. I have always maintained that : Some More Interesting Information
What are your achievements ?
After being a teacher of karate for thirty years, I still feel that I have yet to achieve the best moment in my life.These last thirty years as a teacher have been very gratifying, having taught more than five to six lakh youngsters in Mumbai city alone, imparting training in the best schools and children at the grass root level. I have personally trained all the wings of the Maharashtra State Police Force,and various other All India Police Forces for which I was the first person to have been conferred the Shiv Chhatrapati award by the Government of Maharashtra, apart from other national level awards. Which are the other self-defence Arts and
How do you rate karate among them ?
There are many other self-defence arts such as Judo, Aikido, Shorinji Kempo, Taekwondo etc. However, today Irate karate is the best and most successful martial art in Mumbai city and India. It does not require any expensive equipment, can be practiced anywhere and has also proved to be result oriented especially in multiple attacks.
How does martial arts benefit a person in day to day life, social and spiritual life?
Martial Arts gives a lot of self confidence and self control in a human being to face the twists and turns of life. It develops an inner strength and strikes a good co-ordination as well as balance of body and mind. It teaches you
control and makes you conscious of the amount of strength and power you yield in your body. It gives you a sense of discipline, respect and attitude which are integral attributes of life. It also helps you to develop your spiritual self through meditation and rigorous hours of training. Your message to readers and tips to aspirants. In today's times, majority of participants are children. This is a worldwide phenomenon. Parents should be very instrumental in edging and pushing their children to continue karate training once the children are involved in it. Children should be very focussed and should aspire to achieve the minimum black-belt level. This will instill a good level of confidence which is very much required in growing children. Fighting, breaking techniques, etc are only one aspect of karate and not a yardstick to measure one's strength and capabilities. Children should strive in having an all round development with studies coming first and karate a close second. One should never misuse this noble art and should not use it on the aged, weak and poor. I have always maintained that : Some More Interesting Information CHRONOLOGY OF SOME OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MR VISHWA BANDHU GUPTA
About the Guru and disciples Vispy is a seventh dan (degree) black belt - the only one in Asia outside of Japan. Vispy also holds the title of Kyoshi which denotes a very high grade of Karate. He has earned the title of Shihan (teacher of teachers) as early as 1980. Very few people in world Gojukai have been so honoured. His beginning on his return to Mumbai with the Black belt at the age of 21, Kapadia commenced classes with a few students in the Rustom Baug prayer hall. “As numbers increased we moved to the pavilion, then to premises outside the Baug”, explains the Rustom Baug resident. “In 1975, Bruce Lee's picture Enter the Dragon was released and suddenly from 50-70 students we had 5,000!” he laughs. His institute has trained more than 300 junior black belts, including the youngest - Binay Shah - who at seven years, three months has been recorded in the Limca book of records as the youngest black belt in India.The devotion to this ancient art of self-defence are his students, some of whom attend class everyday even du
ring the summer vacation in the expectation of being selected for competition. He took a large group of 75-80 students (aged 4-21) and 10-15 instructors (with doctor and cook in tow, many parents joining in as well) to a world tournament in Perth, Australia in November 2001. Vispy’s ViewsMy philosophy of life is living life king-size. I have always been focused in what I want. Throughout my life people have helped me and I feel I have to give back a thousand times more.I used to be short-tempered earlier, but now I am like a rubber band - people can stretch my patience without it snapping. I do yoga and meditation everyday in addition to workouts to keep myself trim.
