For the 23-year-old Syeda Falak, a martial arts expert from the Old City of Hyderabad, it was a day to remember as she was felicitated by superstar Rajinikanth at his residence in Chennai on Thursday.
Falak was conferred with the ‘Best woman achiever in karat’ award.
Falak informed The Hindu that it was an unforgettable experience. “I was meeting him for the first time and when Karate Association of India’s President Karate R. Thiagarajan and general secretary Bharat Sharma introduced me and said I am from Telangana, Rajini sir started talking in Telugu,” she said.
“I was really taken aback as he was speaking fluently in Telugu, even as I was struggling. He then enquired whether I spoke Telugu. When I replied ‘ koncham, koncham’ (little bit), he had a hearty laugh and then switched over to English,” Falak recalled.
The Hyderabadi had won the gold medal in the International Open championship in Kolkata late last year, besides finishing third in the WKF Series in Istanbul, Turkey. The superstar advised her to keep working hard and win more laurels, said Falak, who is an English post-graduate student from Osmania University.
The three-time gold medallist in the Nationals in the 68+ senior female kumite category is currently waiting for final clearances to take part in international events later this year.
