Mangaluru: Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader stressed on the role of karate in shaping students' personalities, describing it as a valuable supplement to education. Speaking at the inauguration of the Shaurya International Karate Championship on Friday, held at the Cordell Church Hall in Kulasekhara, Khader highlighted the importance of parental and teacher support in sustaining and promoting the art of self-defense.

Khader noted that previously, students from Mangaluru had to spend significant amounts, up to two to three lakh rupees, to participate in international karate championships. However, the local organization of this event now provides a crucial opportunity for young participants at the beginning of their journeys.

The event was also marked by Mangaluru Bishop Dr. Peter Paul Saldanha's blessing and a special address by Mangaluru Mayor Sudhir Kumar Shetty, who announced a donation of Rs 10 lakhs from the Mangaluru City Corporation to support the tournament. Shetty expressed his best wishes for the championship's success.

MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath, the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, presided over the function. Tournament Director A. Sadananda Shetty was felicitated during the event.

The inauguration saw the presence of several dignitaries, including Vidhan Parishad Member Ivan D'Souza, KIO President Hanshi Bharat Sharma, Self Defense School of Indian Karate President Kiosi Ishwara Kateel, and other key figures from the karate community. Organizers and committee members, including the founder president of the Dakshina Kannada district karate organization, K. Tejomaya, played a significant role in the successful organisation of the event.

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Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal government on Monday "for the fifth and the final time" invited the protesting junior doctors for talks to end the RG Kar impasse, two days after the dialogue failed to take off over disagreement on live-streaming of the meeting.

In an email to the protesting junior doctors, Chief secretary Manoj Pant asked them to reach Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's residence at Kalighat at 5 pm on Monday for the talks.

"This is the fifth and the final time we are reaching out to you for a meeting between the honourable CM and the delegates. In line with our discussion the day before (Saturday), we are once again inviting you for the meeting with the CM at her Kalighat residence for discussions with an open mind," he wrote.

Pant hoped "Good sense will prevail" as mutually agreed on Saturday that there will be no live-streaming or videography of the meeting given the matter is sub-judice before the Supreme Court.

"Instead, the minutes of the meeting will be recorded and signed by both the parties," he said..

Responding to the mail, the agitating doctors said they will discuss among themselves and then announce their decision whether to attend the meeting.

Junior doctors of the state-run hospital have been on cease work in protest against the rape-murder of a doctor in the facility on August 9.

Banerjee on Saturday made a surprise visit to the site where junior doctors were protesting and assured them that their demands would be addressed, asking them to come for talks, but the proposed meeting fell through with the protesters claiming that they were asked to leave "unceremoniously" after waiting for three hours at the gates of CM's residence.

After the protesters refused to enter Banerjee's residence due to the government's rejection of their demand for a live telecast, she came out to appeal to the doctors to join the talks and urged them "not to insult her," and promised them that a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting would be given.