Bhatkal siblings shine at karate championships; Nameer completes three-year Grand Championship hat-trick

Mangaluru: A three-member sibling team from Bhatkal has produced an impressive run of results in karate competitions in Udupi and Mangaluru, with 17-year-old Nameer Nisar Ruknuddin achieving the distinction of winning the Grand Championship for the third year in a row.

Nameer, a first-year PU student of Barakah International School and College, Mangaluru, finished first in kumite and second in kata at the state-level karate championship held in Mangaluru on Saturday. The result helped him retain the Grand Championship title for the third consecutive year, completing a hat-trick.

Nameer has been training under coaches Nadeem and Yasmeen.

His 12-year-old brother, Hamdan Nisar Ruknuddin, also secured two podium finishes at the Mangaluru championship. He won first place in kumite and finished second in kata. Hamdan is studying in Class 7 at Presidency School, Mangaluru.

The youngest of the three, nine-year-old Kulsum Nisar Ruknuddin, won first place in kumite. She is a Class 3 student of Presidency School, Mangaluru.

The siblings are from Bhatkal and are the children of Nada and Nisar Ruknuddin. They are currently residents of Mangaluru.

Three siblings, multiple victories

The latest results in Mangaluru came shortly after the siblings had recorded strong performances at a karate championship in Udupi.

At the Third Invitational National Level Karate Championship, Compete-5.0, held on August 16, 2026, at Thunder's Grand Bay in Subhash Nagar, Kurkal, Katapady, Nameer emerged with first-place finishes in both kata and kumite.

Hamdan won first place in the fight event, while Kulsum also secured first place in fight. She additionally finished third in kumite.

The Udupi championship was organised by the Ken-E-Mabuni-Shito-Ryu-Karate School of India (R), Udupi District. The event was affiliated with the Governing Council of the All India Shito-Ryu Karate Association and recognised by the Asian Karate-Do Federation, World Karate-Do Federation, State Karate Teachers Association (R) Karnataka and Udupi District Karate Teachers Association (R).

Nameer's three-year run

For Nameer, the latest title is the continuation of a three-year winning run in the Grand Championship. His latest performance in Mangaluru came with a first-place finish in kumite and a second-place finish in kata, helping him secure the Grand Championship for the third successive year.

The state-level championship in Mangaluru was organised by the Shorin-Ryu Karate Association (R) in association with Swamis Strength Training and M.K. Anantharaj College of Physical Education, Moodbidri.

The siblings' recent performances have seen them collect medals in both kumite and kata, with Nameer, Hamdan and Kulsum each securing top positions in their respective events.

For the family from Bhatkal, the back-to-back performances in Udupi and Mangaluru have added another successful chapter to the siblings' karate journey, with Nameer's third consecutive Grand Championship standing out as the highlight.