Imphal: BJP legislator and former Manipur Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been awarded the prestigious 5th Dan Black Belt in traditional Taekwondo by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF) in Seoul, South Korea, making him the first Indian to receive the honour in this martial art style.
The 5th Dan certificate was issued by a panel of six Taekwondo Grand Masters led by Jun Lee, President of the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation, which is the apex body governing traditional Taekwondo.
The World Taekwondo Federation, in contrast, oversees the sport form of the discipline.
Khemchand was formally felicitated at the GTTF office in Seoul by the federation’s vice-president, Mayong Suk.
He had successfully cleared the Taekwondo promotion test conducted by the federation in October 2024 in accordance with its rules and regulations.
However, he was unable to travel to Seoul earlier to receive the certificate due to the prevailing ethnic unrest in Manipur.
The Sangrok World Taekwondo Academy, which operates under the World Taekwondo Federation, also acknowledged Khemchand’s contribution to the martial art.
The Seoul-headquartered academy, which has around 70 branches worldwide, praised his long-standing dedication to Taekwondo.
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Grand Master Chang Seong Dong, Technical Director of the academy, said Khemchand had played a significant role in spreading Taekwondo across different parts of India and lauded his commitment to the traditional art form.
Now 62, Khemchand began training in Taekwondo at the age of 16. He went on to become the founder president of the All Assam Taekwondo Association in 1982 and was among the pioneers who promoted the martial art in Manipur.
In the early 1980s, he emerged as a key figure in the popularisation of Taekwondo in the country and in the formation of the Taekwondo Federation of India, where he later served as vice-president.
