"Taekwondo is for everyone and can be done anywhere" - Ahmad Siyar Zia

Ahmad Siyar Zia started Taekwondo at age of 12. Initially he used to do gymnastics, and since facilities for gymnastics were quite limited, he was not much happy with the environment. His first coach was Hafiz Hashimi and later on Abbas Hussaini converted his style from old Taekwondo School to Modern Taekwondo School. For long years, he practiced under his guidance, and his club-mates were Ruhullah Nekpai, his brother (Habib Nekpai), and some other international players, and during those years, he fought huge numbers of competitions, leagues and other friendly matches, finally, he met Min SinHak the Korean master who was the trainer on the national team. Zia explains, “The reasons for starting Taekwondo were, first encouragements of my elder brothers, who were both champions and very well known players, and secondly, this is a sport that you can throw out your stress and anger with an ethical way if you are one of the kids who is born in war.”

He adds, “This game is about respect, self-confidence and self- control from beginning till end, for some people this a way of life, Taekwondo develops internal combat capabilities and then teaches how to control them. Teaches the real meaning of self- defense. This is an ugly truth that when someone some kind of power definitely he or she wishes to use it one way or another to fulfill the desire, even if the power is violent sometimes, but Taekwondo or I have to say  in general all branches of martial arts, teaches someone how to explore combat capabilities and how to utilize them in the very right place, right time and right manner.”

How is the present scenario of Taekwondo in Afghanistan? Is the Afghan government helping to promote Taekwondo within the country? Zia feels, “Presently, Taekwondo is quite good   in Afghanistan, I can say after football that most people play, this is the second game which is more popular and well played, and most people prefer over other branches of martial arts, especially, after one silver medal  from  World  Taekwondo competitions which was brought by our well known player Ahmad Nisar Bhawi, who defeated the world champion from Iran Hadi Sayee, and 2 bronze medals brought by Ruhullah Nekpai from Olympics 2008 [China] and 2012 [London]. The game became much more popular, and since the game and the players in are huge hopes for Afghanistan’s government for the better future of the country, our government supports the game quite a lot, also other business men, or companies try to finance events and expenditures.

In 2007, he got a scholarship through ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) to India for his Bachelors and since decided to go for Computer Science, He finished his computer science degree from Kurukshetra University / Haryana, 2007 - 2010, and completed MCA from Annex college of management studies (Salt Lake), and is planning to go for his PhD to Delhi. He is also Cyber Security Expert. Recently he won gold medal ROY’S TAEKWONDO ACADEMY, INDIA- 2nd State RTA Challenge Cup & 2014 West Bengal State Taekwondo Championship. Roy’s Taekwondo Academy’ is an Overseas Member of KUKKIWON (World Taekwondo Head Quarters), Seoul, South Korea. The ACADEMY is the dream institution formed by Taekwondo Hall of Fame Master Pradipta Kumar Roy and Ruma Roy Chowdhury formed to realize dreams of thousands of Taekwondo enthusiasts to perform preach and practice the great art OT Taekwondo in its real form.

Any message for the Taekwondo enthusiasts? Zia says, “Well, for youngsters of violent nature who are not happy with their angry mind, who wishes to get rid of their negative hyper, I advise them to join Taekwondo, because this game will help them to get rid of their anger in a very proper way. For people who always wish to explore their combat capabilities and wish to learn self- defense this is an advisable sport, as this sport will teach everything step  by step and increases the patience level and result in becoming a skillful player / performer. Last but not the least, for people of older age, I advise the Taekwondo as they will feel much better when they start and after few months of practice they find out that they don't face all those knees, bones and other minor even sometimes major sickness that happens with passage of age. Taekwondo is for everyone and can be done anywhere".