Sihanoukville, Cambodia – Khmer boxing, a traditional Cambodian martial art, is being recognized as a particularly effective and engaging discipline for training in India, according to Venkatachalam Mahalingam, President of the Khmer Boxing Federation of India. This assertion comes as training initiatives for the martial art are actively expanding across various Indian states.
Mahalingam highlighted the significant progress made by the Indian federation. Within just one year of its formation, by the end of 2024, Khmer boxing training clubs have been established in 25 states across India. The federation is ambitious, aiming to further promote and expand Khmer martial arts to reach 35 states by 2026, demonstrating a clear commitment to its widespread adoption.
Expressing his enthusiasm, the President of the Khmer Martial Arts Federation in India recently traveled to Sihanoukville to participate in the 6th World Khmer Martial Arts Competition, which marked its first iteration. Mahalingam specifically commended the warm welcome and excellent hospitality extended by Cambodia as the host nation.
Despite this positive outlook, the Indian delegation faced challenges in sending its full contingent of athletes to the recent World Championships in Sihanoukville. Plans for a larger representation were impacted by past logistical complexities related to border crossings that Cambodia had encountered with a neighboring country. This situation regrettably led to a reduced number of Indian athletes. Nevertheless, the Indian delegation remains optimistic and fully expects to send a significantly larger number of participants to the 7th World Martial Arts Championships in the future.
