Meet Kashmir's Youngest Kickboxing Champion

Brut India

She’s only 11, but she can kick and box like a global champ. Meet Tajamul Islam. She’s teaching the children of north Kashmir the tough art of self-defence.

Transcript

00:00My name is Jumul Islam, World Kickboxing Champion from Bangalore, North Kashmir.

00:20I said, wow, this is such an interesting game. What do they wear in their hands? I want to

00:33wear it too.

00:34I was made to hide at home. I said, I want to play too. They made me hide because I was

00:49so small. They used to tell me, if you get injured, what will you do? You are too small,

00:54don't play. So I talked to my mom, she supported me since I was a kid. She convinced my dad

00:59and he always supports me.

01:11They used to say, you have to do it, you have to do it. No matter how big the problem is,

01:16you have to, you have to. You have to do it.

01:20My first trophy was my best fighter cup in Jammu. I think I was 7 years old when I won

01:32the best fighter cup in Jammu. I went to the national league and then I went to the world

01:37championship. I was selected in Delhi and then I went to the military. I was very happy

01:45and I was very small. I got a medal, I got a trophy. When was the best fighter given

01:50at such a young age? I am a best fighter, seriously. So I was very happy that no, I

01:55should do more.

01:57I am a best fighter.

02:10In Bandipora, self-defence is very important for girls. And today it is important and

02:15every girl has self-defence.

02:18So my aim is that I have been interested in kickboxing since childhood. When I was

02:25small, my cousins used to tell me that we have to do this, we have to become doctors.

02:30So then I also thought that I also want to become a doctor. So there were a lot of poor

02:34individuals in the hospitals. They never had money for treatment. They used to wander

02:39here and there. So I want to treat them. And the main reason is that sometimes in fights

02:46if I break someone's bone, then if the doctor was not available, then I am the doctor,

02:51I am the best. So I will break his bones and join them.

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