Mumbai Mirror Newspaper

Women are getting increasingly vulnerable to assault and molestation in Mumbai. Here are some ways to protect yourself from the culprits.

Being a girl who is living and traveling alone in Mumbai can be exhilarating, frightening and enraging all at the same time.

While the freedom the city gives you is refreshing, with the number of rape and molestation cases on the rise, Mumbai is quickly catching up with Delhi as the rape capital of the country. Everyday we are subjected to being grabbed or leered at, at the least.

In such cases, it is important to always be on your guard and be prepared for any attacker. We give you some tips on how to train your mind and body and use some simple household items to ward off any unwanted attention.

Presence of mind

It is imperative to always be alert of your surroundings when you’re travelling alone, be it day or night. Sadashiv Mogaveera of Krav Maga India, an academy that trains in Japanese and Israeli forms of self defence and martial arts, says that awareness is your strongest weapon. “Most girls listen to music on IPods or MP3 players while travelling, making them oblivious to what’s happening around them.

This makes them a potential target as they can be caught unaware. Attackers usually look for weak, defenceless women who are unlikely to fight back; the surprise element is what they’re banking on.”

He explains that your body language must be confident so that the attacker realises that you won’t give up without a fight. Walk purposefully and never let your observation skills slip. Mogaveera adds, “You have to train your mind to be calm even if you know you have to put up a fight. Never get agitated as that betrays your nervousness and fear.

Yatish Bangera of the Bombay Judo Club insists that self confidence and fitness are the basic attributes a girl must possess. “Today’s girls are much more self confident, but implementing this in the required circumstances is what finally matters.” He further says that you must look the attacker in the eyes, which will surely throw him off.

Mogaveera exemplifies the need to be alert with an instance of walking down the street. “Never walk on the side of the road where vehicles are coming from behind you, as this puts you at risk of being pulled into one.

Also, when you’re crossing a dark alley, remember to always peer into it before you cross. If there is an attacker in there, you will have seen his face and could then pick him out of a line-up. This will deter the attacker from approaching you.”

Finally, both instructors emphasise on the fact that a certain level of fitness is required to be able to take on a surprise attacker. Unfortunately, women cannot match up to a man in physical strength but she should be fit enough to at least tackle him, throw him off and run, if necessary.

Practical tips

First and foremost, it is important to know the vulnerable parts of your body. This will not only help you protect yourself, but also know where to inflict pain in case you are attacked. You may not match up to your attacker in terms of physical strength but every human being has the same weak areas.

Mogaveera explains, “The joints of your body bend only in one direction. If you try to bend them in any other, it will cause pain. Other such body parts are the groin, the eyes, the shin and the tissue on the side of the neck.

Suresh Kanojia of the Academy of Judo and Martial Arts has been teaching self defence for 25 years. He gives us some basic tips on how to tackle common attacks.

• If someone comes and grabs you from the back, spread your legs apart a little and bend forward till at least one of your opponent’s legs in between yours. Then with your palms, grab him in the shin, right below the calf, and pull it hard towards you. No matter how strong the man is, he will lose balance and fall.
• If someone comes and grabs your neck or collar from the front, aim at his fingers. Dig your nails into skin of his finger where the nail starts. This skin is thin and when pricked, hurts a lot.
• If someone comes and grabs you by the neck or collar from the back, grab both his little fingers with your palms and pry them apart as far and as hard as you can. This will cause him enough pain to let you go so that you can sprint off.

Gaurav Pawar, student of Bhavan’s college Andheri, never ended up going to the gym. “Working out in the gym is synthetic, monotonous and individual,” he complains.
Pawar is one of many college students that have taken to newly introduced fitness techniques in Mumbai that have travelled from different parts of the world. Disguised as self-defence techniques, dance forms and sports, these systems present exciting group cardio workouts that have various health benefits.

“These alternative fitness techniques are picking up among college students for two major reasons,” says Shweta Iyengar, nutritionist and healthcare expert. “One is that a gym workout is mindless and monotonous and young people tend to get bored with the lack of variety. Alternative forms offer many variants and levels, which makes the workout more exciting. Secondly, the body stops responding to a type of exercise once it gets used to it, which happens with several gym-goers. For a college student, the alternative forms are highly evolved, and teach them much more than fitness. They work to strengthen the mind, endurance capacity, stamina and concentration as well, while helping to battle depression and frustration.”

Krav Maga
Originally a self-defense and combat system created by the Jews to combat the Nazis, Krav Maga developed in Israel. Hebrew for ‘contact combat’, the martial art is less rigid than karate in terms of the form. “Krav Maga builds on your reflexes, not on a set of rules,” says Sadashiv Mogaveera, Krav Maga instructor. “It’s recently evolved from a combat system to a modern fitness regime, with an emphasis on the cardiovascular system.”

Krav Maga uses hand-to-hand contact with kicking-punching combinations, and teaches you basic disarming techniques. “In our classes, we take on modern day issues and teach students how to disarm knives, sticks as well as guns,” says Padmaj. “In this day, you never know when you may have to encounter a terrorist.”

Gain: Weight-loss, sharpened reflexes, cardio workout, self-defense. Especially recommended for people with obesity, blood sugar and blood pressure problems.
Contact: Sensei Sadashiv – 9892121542
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/

Smitha Nair was returning home from work in an autorickshaw last month, when the driver turned around and asked her, “What do you think about sex?”

The Bengaluru-based graphic designer didn’t reply. Instead, she whipped out her mobile phone and made a mock call. “I don’t care if your mother is in hospital,” she shouted into the phone. “I want those designs when I get there. I will be there in 20 minutes. Is that understood,” she yelled. After hanging up, Nair asked the driver what he had said. He didn’t reply and quietly dropped her to where she was headed.

Terrorism has also heightened insecurity. Lawyer Pankaj Kumar (not his real name) was supposed to meet a friend for dinner at Mumbai’s Oberoi Trident Hotel on November 26, two years ago. He couldn’t make it, but his friend was killed by militants that night. It changed Kumar’s perspective on personal safety. “I decided that if I were ever to be in such a situation, I would be better equipped,” he recalls.

Kumar joined a KM course. “Now, I can fight and disarm anyone attacking with a gun or a knife,” he claims.

Not everybody believes that such fear is justified. Social scientist Shiv Vishwanathan, in fact, feels that fear is spreading a sense of insecurity and anxiety among the urban population. “The insecurity is targeted at the general other — which means, every stranger is perceived as a terrorist or a rapist. This is a recipe for turning into a paranoid society,” warns Visvanathan.

But for some people, self-defence courses are the way to conquer fear. Not surprisingly, the number of young professionals joining the KM course conducted by Krav Maga India (KMI), a private group affiliated to the International Krav Maga Federation, Israel, increased five-fold after the 26/11 attack, says Sadashiv Mogaveera, chief instructor for Maharashtra. “A wide mix of people — including flight attendants, businessmen and housewives — want to learn how to fight,” he says. KMI conducts courses in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi and has held workshops for companies.

From alfa, posted by Ikmf Ulimate on 8/11/2010 (17 items)

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“Twist and turn …straight punch” — an instructor barks out these orders in a room full of women learning to kick and punch their way out of trouble.

It’s a place where young female professionals are undergoing training in Krav Maga, the lethal Israeli martial art. With an alarming rise in crime against women professionals, many firms have started offering self-defence training courses to their female employees.

The trend is more pronounced in the BPO industry where women often have to work on the graveyard shift. As more and more women swipe into offices, harassment is one of the issues they encounter as they step out of their homes.

Manisha Bedi (name changed), a 24-year-old executive, is thrilled about a session organised by her employer where she discovered the technique of how to kick, strike a blow and get out of an attacker’s grip.

Crimes against women, including sexual harassment and rape, have gone up 93% and 40%, respectively, in 2007 compared to 1996, according to National Crime Records Bureau and Home Ministry. A significant number of women are employed in the services sector — IT-BPO, airlines, hospitality, hospitals and retail.

Over 35% women comprise the workforce of the $60 billion IT BPO sector. A few years ago, the rape and murder of a call centre executive had rocked the industry, underscoring the lapses and loopholes in corporate security practices. To safeguard women’s interests, companies are conducting self-defence workshops on the campus.

A power-to-telecom corporate has arranged a post-lunch 90-minute session for its women employees to practise fist-to-face moves. Such initiatives help in promoting women empowerment and gender inclusiveness, said industry observers. At these  workshops, women are not only given training in the physical aspects of warding off an attack but are also taught to be mentally alert.

Age: 43 years

My professional life started with getting commissioned into the Army & experiencing the hot spots and thereafter continuing my life in the Corporate, as a Security professional.

Being part of the Security profession I understood to a great extent the risks faced by the commoner in their daily life & how it would be foolish to depend on the state machinery to be our shield to mitigate the risks. As a Security Professional, I was always looking out for methods which could be adopted by in house security personnel & also help in safeguarding the women employees. My search ended with Krav Maga.

Krav Maga has given me the self confidence to protect my self & my near & dear ones in times of crisis coupled with the intense physical workout during the classes, has really become a fulcrum to my reaching new fitness levels, in spite of being now only a Corporate Warrior. My resting pulse rate has reached the early 70s. Additionally for me weight loss – I had never pursued weight reduction as a goal but these workouts have worked wonders in this direction.

This martial arts can easily be learnt by all men & women. The training sessions are all built around realistic daily life situations with solutions to mitigate the risks. I should give a huge credit to the instructors at Mumbai especially Sadashiv who has worked patiently & tirelessly to make me & my other class mates reach their present level of proficiency. I would recommend Krav Maga as a way of life to all.

Age: 22 years.

Participating in a brawl with a few tough only to have myself humbled, lately, did more than enough to motivate me on building up at least some kind skills in self defense. Prior to that incident I had always ignored my physical vulnerability. And so after a detailed search over self defense, I realized that it was the world of modern martial arts, with most martial arts schools having done with all the tedious and time consuming Katas and weird jargon.

Lately many western schools only focus on important aspects of martial arts, with techniques borrowed from a variety of styles, and compiled together to train the pupils with the most effective skills. I learned that ‘Krav Maga’ is a style which has set such standards of effectiveness for martial arts training all over the world.

After reading much debate over its effectualness compared to other styles, I knew there was no way I was going to miss it. I gathered all the information about Krav Maga training in my city and enrolled promptly. And here’s what i think of the training so far…

The Krav Maga approach is very  utilitarian, with pupils being seasoned to attacking and defending right from day 1. Prior to the training, we undergo a series of physical and aerobic exercises which encourage us to push our strength to limits. We are taught to harness as well as deal with many dangerous moves which are illegal in other martial arts styles, but are perfectly valid in real life scenarios (like the gruesome groin kick).

The fellow pupils and instructors are quiet dedicated to the training which makes it fun along with learning.

On a final note… Despite being engaged in Krav Maga just recently, I already feel as if I have a few aces up my sleeve if it ever comes to defending myself again on the streets.

Age: 30 yrs

I first heard about Krav Maga from Ajit sir and Paul Devassy.

I would like to thank them and the Mumbai Krav Maga team to have given me a chance to fulfill my childhood dream of learning some kind of Martial Art form. I had almost forgotten about that for the last 20 years, but have always been fascinated by the thought of techniques to use one’s body as a weapon.

I have always been athletic by nature, but it is during the classes that I understood how much more fitter I could make myself. It’s a huge kick to surpass your own physical abilities.

Also, to learn some basic facts about our body’s natural movements, like all-round and 360 degrees defense, freeing oneself from chokes or executing perfect punches and kicks which can be fatal or atleast can shock the opponent.

I have always been a person who would like to stand my own against wrong doings and unfortunately some of that may lead to fights as well. But just the righteousness is not enough to defend. Now I know that I’ll be able to stand up for my beliefs and fight it out if need be. Conditioning of my body will surely help in self defense or rather a counter attack full of stamina would help me spring a surprise over the attacker.

I had read that Krav Maga was different from other forms of Martial arts. But now I know how effective it is, in it’s quick, minimal and lethal implementation.

Once again a big thanks to dedicated trainers and participants of this team. I see everyone in my class as a teacher and they help me learn something new each week.

Every chance I get, I would suggest my friends and relatives to learn and practice Krav Maga for the benefits that it offers.

Krav Maga
Push-ups, squats, kicks and stretching, after an intense 30 minutes of cardio and fitness training, the students are already grunting in pain and lying listlessly on the ground. Welcome to the world of Krav Maga, the Israeli system of self-defence and fighting, which teaches you the art of street survival. The system which means “contact combat” in Hebrew has devout followers who want that added confidence in their stride. Sadashiv M, a Krav Maga senior instructor, Mumbai says, “What is unique about this system is that it uses the body’s own reflexes. It works on instinct and natural movements. The body’s centre line — the imaginary line running though the centre of the body is the focus for defence and attack.” Ajit Verma, an instructor says, “Krav maga is a total fitness solution in itself. You burn about 800 calories in an hour.”

Capoeira
Brazilians have become famous for more than just their football skills and samba. Capoeira, the national sport, a mixture of dance and martial arts, is quietly catching up with children and adults alike. The class resonates with thumps, loud singing and the sound of a pandeiro (tambourine) and a berimbau (percussion instrument). Capoeirists of all age groups learn the fast and tricky movements in these classes. Trainer Reza Massah says, “This is the only sport which combines the co-ordination of a dancer, the strength of a martial artist, the flexibility of a gymnast, the endurance of a marathon runner and the beat of a drummer in a friendly, non-violent manner.” With its origins in African slavery in Brazil, the deceptive defence moves are light, but precision based. They build strength and balance, evident in the fluid cartwheels, kicks and twirls. Model Rosa Catalano has been practising Capoeira for a while now. “While living in Switzerland, I saw Capoeirists perform acrobats on streets and ever since I have wanted to learn. Capoeira is about rhythm and hardcore exercise. It is not about hurting somebody,” she says.

Jeet Kune Do
Bruce Lee may have died but his legacy lives on. Jeet kune do or the way of the intercepting fist is a street fighting concept and works on evolving according to the needs of the individual. Dr Komal, an exponent of this art says, “JKD helps in physical fitness, stress management and dealing with life’s problems.” It has no set fighting technique. It builds speed, power and co-ordination and involves kicking, punching, knee-elbow or trapping and grappling. Anjali Bhimrajka, a student, says, “In one-and-a-half years, I have lost 15 kgs. I had a ruptured ligament in my knee so any type of weight loss was not possible. But this was the answer to my problem.” Ritesh Reddy, who has been practising for the past six years adds, “I lead a sedentary lifestyle and started these classes to manage stress. I wanted to do tai-chi but found JKD more to my liking.”

Kalaripayattu
“There are 18 secrets in kalaripayattu, of which the highest is hitting your opponent and moving away. At this level, you are assured of your skill and do not need to show off,” reveals Pradeesh Raj, who has been teaching since the past 20 years. Originating in Kerala, the 3,000-year old martial art has three styles to it — one which focuses on weapons training apart from empty hand combat; another which teaches empty hand combat; and the last, which is a mixture of both. The master in this art also needs to understand the pressure points in the body and healing. One learns to wield the mind as adeptly as the sword, as you begin with training your body, then move on to weaponry, and ultimately spiritual training. Actress Upasana Shukla says, “The level of discipline kalari inculcates in you is great. This has helped me in theatre as well and I really look forward to these sessions.”

28 March 2009

Earth Hour was celebrated across the world from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm on 28 Mar 09.

It is an international event organized by WWF – Worldwide Fund for Nature (earlier World Wildlife Fund), and is held on the last Saturday of March each year.

Through this initiative, WWF asks households and Businesses to turn off their non essential lights and appliances for one hour, to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change.

It was conceived by WWF Australia in 2007, which saw a participation by 2.2 million residents of Sydney. Following this, many other cities adopted this initiative and this year India too was an active member with the message going out to citizens in 2100 cities across 82 cities Worldwide, to switch off their lights for an hour between 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm.

We, at the Mumbai centre of Krav Maga India also participated in this campaign, in line with the global initiative.

The training at the Mumbai centre on Saturday – 28 March 2009, was carried out with the lights switched off, thereby spreading this message around, to ensure that we have a better Planet to live in for the generations to come.

Attached herewith are a few photographs of the training conducted in regards to the Earth Hour.

Best Regards

Krav Maga India team
Mumbai Chapter