Just three years ago, Kudo, a modern mixed martial art, was relatively unfamiliar to Siji K Balan, a native of Mangalapuram in Alappuzha. She had trained in karate since childhood and this strong foundation helped her transition quickly to Kudo’s techniques. Today, Siji stands proud as a national champion. And, this milestone is even more memorable as she shares it with her seven-year-old daughter.

Siji and her daughter, Vedhika S Prasanth, a Class 2 student of Sree Raghavendra Vidyalaya, SL Puram, recently competed in the 6th Kudo Federation Cup, the 16th Kudo National Tournament, and the Akshay Kumar 17th International Kudo Championship held in Surat, Gujarat. They returned with an impressive haul of medals.

Siji won two gold medals and a silver across the national events, while Vedhika, making her national debut, secured a silver at the Akshay Kumar championship and a bronze at the 16th Kudo National Tournament.

“This is such a proud moment for me. I am really happy,” Siji told Onmanorama. “For Vedhika, this was her first national tournament, which makes it even more special,” she added.

She noted that while Kudo remains relatively unfamiliar to many Malayalis, it is gaining momentum in the state. There is increased participation now from both youngsters and adults. “Kudo has been recognised by the Central government, and winning championships can even open doors to government jobs. But more than that, martial arts has been my entire life. Learning everything I can, from karate to Kudo, is truly thrilling,” she said.

Siji began karate training at the age of 10. “I was always the problem child at home,” she recalled with a laugh. “I used to fight with my sister constantly, and one of my relatives suggested that my father put me in karate class. That’s how this journey began.”

She initially trained in the Kenyu Ryu style of karate. Over time, she said, the discipline transformed her. “Once I started practising, I developed a lot of self-control. Those silly sibling fights slowly stopped. Even now, if someone randomly challenges us to a fight, I can simply say no and avoid such situations.”

Siji said she introduced Vedhika to small exercises initially. This helped the child naturally gravitate towards martial arts. “I made her do a little stretching from the beginning. Since I’m her mother, it was hard to control and teach her because of that closeness. But at my masters’ classes, she was always a disciplined student,” she said.

Vedhika’s interest in national tournaments grew after watching her mother win medals at the events held in Pune in May. “I won gold in the national competitions in May. After seeing that, Vedhika asked why she couldn’t win too. I told her she could participate, and that’s how she entered competitive fights,” Siji said.

Vedhika later participated in the state-level Kudo championship and won gold. “That made us realise she had real potential. That is when we decided to let her compete at the national level,” Siji added.

A final-year law student at Poothotta Sree Narayana Law College, Siji also runs an academy at Mangalapuram. She trains for two hours every morning and heads to her academy after classes. She credits her husband, Prasanth, as her constant support, enabling her to participate in national tournaments.

“Learning a martial art is very important these days. More women, especially mothers, are showing interest in Kudo after watching my classes. There are students as young as four and others over 45. That shows a remarkable shift in people’s mindset,” she said.