Express India

Karate and kalaripayattu are passe. A Delhi woman has kick-started the craze for Krav-Maga, the martial art practised by Israeli soldiers

Namita Kohli

New Delhi, February 22, 2007: She can kick butt like Jennifer Lopez in the 2002 film Enough. Or throw a punch like Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality. While these glam dolls may have given Krav-Maga — the self-defence system that has been battle-tested by Israelis — a celeb quotient, Delhi-based instructor Nirmala Bhanu hardly has glamour on her mind. “It is not a sport,” she says. “My mission is to train as many women in this technique as possible. They need to come out and know how to defend themselves, especially in this city.”

The 29-year-old, arguably the first woman Krav-Maga instructor in India, has been teaching at her studio in Saket for a year. She is also a black belt in karate and has taught action heroes Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Vinod Khanna a kick or two. “They are all masters. But it was great fun teaching them. I learnt from them as well,” she says with an impish smile.

How is Krav-Maga different from conventional martial arts? “This is close combat, with no rules. It helps in real street fight, unlike judo or karate that does not allow an all-out fight against the opponent.” Also, says Bhanu, it is easy, effective and works in any situation. “You don’t have to be powerful. It just tunes your reflexes to defend against an opponent.”

Krav maga was developed by Imi Lichtenfeld in the 1930s to help Jews defend themselves against the Nazis. It was adopted by the Israeli army and it eventually evolved into a highly specialised defence technique. What is taught to the civilians is, however, a simpler and easier version. “Students are taught to defend themselves against an attacker wielding a knife or a gun,” says Bhanu. A blow on the nose, a kick below the belt and the job is done. “You just have to look for the weak spots like the nose, eyes.”

A system that works on human reflexes rather than brutal attack, krav maga, says Bhanu, is custom-made for women. A one-hour workout can even burn 800 calories. “That is like killing two birds with one stone,” says Bhanu. Other than the 20-odd women who have enrolled at her Saket studio, Bhanu also teaches at the Army Wives Welfare Association.

Are women eager to join the Krav-Maga club? “Initially they were shy to try this out. Many do it to lose weight rather than for self-defence,” she says. A native of Manali, Himachal Pradesh, she has fought her way through various karate championships while her father wondered yeh kya thod-phod karti rehti ho (what’s this business of breaking things?).

Is action-packed Bollywood on her mind? “Yes, I would like to do that. Right now, they are using special effects, not the real thing.” Perhaps it is time for an action heroine.
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Source: Express India