Karate helped shape sensei Raveen’s life

Watching martial arts movies like Jean-Claude van Damme’s Kickboxer, the Best of the Best quadrilogy and Bruce Lee’s films inspired sensei Raveen Dayaram to take up karate as a youngster.

Touched by the spiritual and philosophical depth of kung fu, Dayaram harboured the ambition of becoming a karateka. He first stepped foot inside a dojo at the age of five and never looked back.

Describing his first day at training, a young Dayaram, dressed in a striped blue and grey track top with blue track pants, felt alive after performing his first move in a class of senior karateka.

“They were doing Heian Godan, a senior kata which has a jump in it. I did it with them and felt alive like it was where I belonged. From that point onwards, I was at practice every Tuesday and Thursday without fail. I was in karate school before normal school,” he said.

Beyond the fighting, Dayaram saw martial arts as a medium to gain inner strength, balance and wisdom. Over the years, his interest in the sport developed into a deep-rooted passion that has formed the centrepiece of his personal career and those of his students.

“We are already winners by just doing karate because it sets you apart from someone who doesn’t do it,” said Dayaram.

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“We teach and encourage all our students to live by the Dojo Kun inside and outside the dojo, which is to seek perfection of character, to be faithful, to endeavour, respect others and refrain from violent behaviour.”

It’s these principles that have shaped his life and with all the success karate has given him, the sensei wants to live in a society where children thrive because “children are our future”.

“All my students live by the Dojo Kun. By doing so, they have achieved so much already in all the aspects of their lives. They are a great asset to our society. I firmly believe children are our future and in my students, I see an amazing future for us all,” Dayaram said.

After going through the ranks and achieving all his junior belts, he graduated to shodan (first black belt) in 2003. He credited the sport for playing a tremendous role in his career and personal life.

Following a successful career in which he won numerous accolades, Dayaram founded the Lotus Karate Club and has dojos in Parkrand, Dalpark and Edenvale.

“I learnt a lot from my sensei and I try to pass all the wisdom to my students because I want the absolute best from them in all aspects of their lives.

“The most valuable lesson karate has taught me is to try my best to perfect my character. I want my students to become good people too. I try to lead by example.”

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