“As a kid, I was fascinated to watch martial arts movies-Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee, and other action flicks. There was something about those action sequences and their discipline that left a mark on me. I also dreamt of wearing a uniform someday-maybe as a police officer or in the army. I come from a family of four-my parents, my elder sister, and me. I was born in Vijayawada, but we moved to Hyderabad when I was three.
My father worked in the Police Department during my childhood but had to take voluntary retirement due to health reasons when I was 11. Later, he began working in the film industry in the script writing department. My mother is a homemaker, and she’s been my biggest emotional support through everything.
My journey into kickboxing started in 2012 when I joined the Iskimos Kickboxing Academy under my coach, Mr. Suresh Patil. At the time, I was juggling college and training, but I loved every bit of it. Kickboxing gave me a sense of purpose and a way to channel my energy. The discipline, the sparring, the conditioning-it all felt like preparing for battle. I specialize in full-contact kickboxing in the 75kg senior category, where fighters are matched by weight to ensure fairness.
My first big win came in 2015 when I secured a gold medal at the National Kickboxing Championship in New Delhi. That moment was a turning point in my journey. Over the years, I’ve represented Telangana at multiple national and international competitions and won several gold medals at State Kickboxing Championships in Telangana. From winning Silver at the 2022 Indian International Kickboxing Championship to Bronze in 2024 held at New Delhi, every medal has a story of sweat, grit, and hardwork.
But the journey hasn’t been easy. Twice, I cleared all stages for the Sub-Inspector position, but my name didn’t make the merit list due to the non-recognition of kickboxing. Despite having international certificates, my achievements weren’t considered. That was a tough pill to swallow. It felt like my hard work in sports had no value in the eyes of the system.
This year, I cleared the TSPSC prelims and even appeared for the mains (results awaited). Balancing my preparation for competitive exams while pursuing kickboxing has been a challenge, but it’s something I’m determined to see through.
The lack of recognition for kickboxing in Telangana has been a major hurdle. The Telangana Kickboxing Association has been working tirelessly to get the sport recognised. They submitted the necessary documents to the Sports Authority of Telangana (SATG) over six months ago, but the process is still stalled. Without recognition, we lack proper training facilities, funding, and government support. Athletes like me rely entirely on personal resources, which makes pursuing our dreams even harder.
Today, kickboxing isn’t just a sport to me-it’s a way of life. It’s taught me to stay resilient: to get up every time I’m knocked down.”
- Harsha Ratnakar, Kickboxing Champion