Kerala man earns karate black belt at 72; reveals fitness secrets

When Dharmarajan Nair, a retired District Fire Officer from Kozhikode, decided to learn karate at the age of 66 in 2020, many of his family members were concerned. Though his son Praveen was quite supportive, others asked, 'Isn't this risky? What if you get injured?' At times, the same questions weighed on his mind, too. He wrote them down in his personal diary, and drew some solace from the decades-old habit.

A few days ago, the man earned his black belt in karate from the Indian branch of the Japan Karate Shotokan Academy after six years of rigorous training. Now, the voices and words of doubt are looking back at him with admiration. "For me, it was a long-pending dream. I am glad that finally, my persistence paid off," says Dharmarajan Nair, whose black belt journey had many trying episodes.

A dream put on hold
Dharmarajan’s martial arts journey began way back in 1974. Kalaripayattu, kung fu, and boxing... he had tried a hand at all of them. He dreamt of becoming a black belt in karate as well. However, as the eldest of seven siblings in his family and a professional in a demanding career, he was forced to put his martial arts dreams on pause. His wife, Leela Bhargaviamma, a primary school headmistress, and Nair were busy building their family, educating and supporting their children, Praveen and Priyanka.

In 2008, Dharmarajan retired, and the phase opened up a whole new chapter in his life. "From 2009, January, I started with my regular walks. I also started taking part in long-distance runs and half marathons," Nair recalls. In 2020, he joined the Shotokan Karate Academy in Kozhikode. "As I also had some prostate problems, many in my family were worried. I was asked why I was going for it at this stage in my life. But, I knew I wanted to give it a try," he recalls.

The testing times
The next six years of karate training, that too as the oldest member in his dojo, posed many hurdles for Dharmarajan Nair. Pandemic lockdowns, health problems, occasional injuries and more challenged him quite a bit. "At all these times, my diary heard my doubts, but empowered me to keep going," he says. He earned belt after belt and kept showing up consistently. Just as he neared his final black belt, Dharmarajan lost his brother, Rajendran. Shortly after, his wife also suffered a severe fall that required a month of strict bed rest. However, so close to the finish line, Dharmarajan was determined he wouldn't give up.

He pushed through a gruelling 10-day intensive training camp before the evaluation. "On my final Dan examination day, I wasn't given any concession, citing my age. We had to do 100 push-ups and spar with 6 or 7 opponents back-to-back. I was a little worried, but my sensei assured me that I could do it," recalls Dharmarajan. He finished the drill in flying colours and finally achieved his dream of becoming a black belt in karate! "Looking back, I feel it was good they didn't give me any concession for my age," he recalls.

His fitness secrets
Dharmarajan's day begins around 4.30 am, and he goes for a five or six-kilometre walk by 5.15 am. "Once back, I have a normal breakfast, nothing fancy. I avoid fried items and don't use sugar in my tea, though," he says. He also confesses that he doesn't steer clear of sweets much. "I proceed to do some household work, read a bit and recite the Bhagavat Gita," he says. For lunch, he has rice or jackfruit in limited quantities. "I have my dinner before 8 pm - often a small quantity of rice. I also try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every day," he says.

Dharmarajan continues to brush up on his karate lessons and says he also practises yoga and kalaripayattu at times. "Practising these disciplines has also improved my memory and even behaviour. These positive effects motivate me to stay active and agile," Dharmarajan says, with a smile.