: The much-awaited recognition for the Indian Kalaripayattu Federation (IKF) by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports will give a major boost to the Kalaripayattu arena in the State, feel observers and the federation leaders.
The collective of various Kalaripayattu groups working under the Kerala Kalaripayattu Association had the recognition of the Kerala Sports Council for the last several years. However, it was only on September 14 this year that the Union Ministry recognised the IKF as Regional Sports Federation after persistent demand by various Kalaripayattu groups and sustained campaigns by the federation. The recognition is the result of a decades-old campaign by the federation and it will have positive implications for the centuries-old traditional martial arts of Kerala, says Poonthura Soman, State general secretary of the federation. “The recognition will also help a great deal in making the martial arts an Olympic event eventually,” said Mr. Soman. The IKF had also organised more than one national level Kalaripayattu championships in the country earlier as part of its efforts to fetch national recognition for Kalaripayattu.