Proving that every cloud does have a silver lining, one positive effect of the Covid-19 pandemic is that it has made people more conscious about health and fitness. Suddenly, health care has taken precedence over everything else and being fit and eating right have become an important part of people’s lives. However, there is one other area that needs to be given equal priority. And that is self-defense.
Learning self-defense techniques has become all the more important in an increasingly turning intolerant and prone-to-violence society. In such sensitive times, the prestigious institution of the country, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie has adopted Krav Maga, an Israeli military self-defense technique, in its official curriculum.
Under the supervision of Director, LBSNAA, Srinivas Katikithala, a Gujarat-cadre IAS officer of 1989 batch, Krav-Maga self-defense training has been introduced for the first time in the institute. Following Prime Minister Modi’s vision of promoting self-defense in the country, this is indeed a big step to enhance the skills of the budding bureaucrats who will go on to play vital roles in shaping the destiny of the democracy.
A devised module of the Krav Maga technique was submitted by Jharkhand cadre 2013 batch IPS officer Hari Lal Chouhan, who is currently on central deputation and is serving as an Assistant Director, Outdoors Training at LBSNAA. The proposal was accepted by the Director and Mr. Chouhan, who learned the Krav Maga technique while visiting Israel in 2015, was made in-charge of supervising this module training in LBSNAA.
WHAT IS THE KRAV MAGA TECHNIQUE?
‘Krav-Maga’ is a Hebrew word that means ‘Contact-Combat’. It’s a self-defense technique developed for the Israeli defense and security forces, including all the Israeli citizens who undergo it during their conscription to the military services. Krav Maga is a combination of five techniques used in aikido, boxing, judo, karate and wrestling.
These techniques include strikes as per karate and boxing; take-downs and throws as per judo, aikido, and wrestling; groundwork as per judo and wrestling; escapes from chokes and holds as per judo, aikido, wrestling, and empty-hand weapon defenses as per aikido. This unarmed combat is based on natural body reactions. Therefore, after training, it becomes a part of the muscle memory.
TAKING HELP FROM ITBP ACADEMY
A total of 488 officer trainees of 16 All India Services, joined in the 96th foundation course, were selected for the basic training module of Krav-Maga. As the academy had to train self-defense to around 500 OTs for the first time, it came as a challenge.
While speaking to Indian Masterminds, the Assistant Director, Outdoors Training at LBSNAA, Mr. Hari Lal Chouhan, IPS, said, “As there is an ITBP Academy here, we requested the concerned DIG in charge Mr. Ajay Pal Singh, on behalf of the Academy, to get some trained combat ustads to train the trainees in LBSNAA. Specifically, they did not have any ustads for this particular training, ITBP Academy has a Karate team, which is one of the techniques used in this self-defense training.”
Four ustads along with two lady ustads were provided to the academy for training the OTs. Mr. Chouhan had only one month time to train them with the Krav Maga technique. Hence, he created a training module for that duration. He then imparted his skills to the ITBP team for a duration of one month and trained them with all the required skill sets.
OFFICER TRAINEES LEARN SELF-DEFENSE TECHNIQUES
Nine squads were made out of 488 officer trainees, who were undergoing the 96th foundation course, and basic level self-defense training was provided to them from 5 Dec 2021 to 17 March 2022.
In the IAS Professional Course phase-1 (21 March to 19 Aug 2022), 183 officer trainees, including two from Royal Bhutan, is under going with advanced level training which included defense against weapons and ground techniques.
Apart from this, a special module was also included for the lady officer trainees so that they learn to deal with any kind of physical violence. Last month, during Ranchi (Jharkhand) visit, Mr. Chouhan also took two-day special module sessions each at DAV, Gandhinagar and Indian Institute of Management, Ranchi.
He said, “Now our country is becoming health conscious. Everywhere in our country, and, in fact, in the whole world, yoga is being accepted as the primary health module. So, this is the time for us to go one step ahead and make self-defense skills a part of the basic learning of our citizens.”
He added that in this aspect, the Academy is encouraging the Officer Trainees to train school and college students with these life-saving skills, during their field postings in respective cadres as SDM and DM.
