IKS Thoughts: Sunish Oturkar

Editor's Note: Prior to the 30th anniversary celebration that we had, I asked people to submit to me their thoughts about the school to share with the headmasters. I have gathered these essays and will be adding them to this blog as "IKS Thoughts" over the next several months. Today's submission was made by IKS black belt Sunish Oturkar.



Someone once asked me, "If you relocated, what would you miss most?" Without a thought, I immediately responded, "The Independent Karate School." This says a lot considering I was born and raised in the area, having lived there for upwards of two decades. The IKS has played an enormous role in my life. I often tell people that if it were not for the school, there is no doubt in my mind that I would be a completely different person. True, whether for better or worse is uncertain, but I can confidently attribute my ability to carry out many of my accomplishments to the lifelong development acquired in the dojo. 


I have seen how much the misguided Western perception of the martial arts has infiltrated other schools in the area, and I am very proud to be apart of a dojo that never lets go the art's original intentions of self improvement in all aspects of life. I am constantly trying to find ways to better who I am as a person, either physically, mentally, or emotionally, and that motivation comes directly from my time at the IKS. When I note the receipt of my first degree black belt as being one of my life's greatest achievements, I refer not to belt itself, but my decision to a lifelong commitment of exhibiting all of the core values the school is founded on: responsibility, respect, perseverance, and the refusal to settle for anything less than my best.


Along with my own self improvement, there are few things in my life that can compare to the feeling of paying it forward at the IKS. Much of my time at the dojo has been dedicated to working with my colleagues, all of whom walked the same path I did, to impart our knowledge to the current students of the school. As time passes, the worst influences in our society continues to push its way further into the lives of children, reaching them at an earlier age each year. More communities need a force such as the IKS to counterbalance these influences, giving kids the tools they need to steer clear of choosing the wrong path. Knowing how effective the school has been for me, it is great to be a part of that experience for today's youth.


The dojo is my second home, the people my second family. I'd be lost without the Independent Karate School. Its a place I can come to and leave all my troubles behind. Its a place like no other, and I am forever in its debt.