Happy birthday, Shihan Athula! Today, Thursday 25 May 2023, our head coach and president is celebrating his 63rd birthday. He now has over 50 years of karate experience and has been with Dhammika Karate-Do since its foundation, supporting the club through good times and bad. This text is intended as a congratulatory message and a thank you, as well as a brief summary of the important stages of his life!
Shihan Athula began his karate training at the age of ten in Sri Lanka with a former winner of the All Asia Karate-Do Championship. Just five years later, he established the Sri Lanka Karate-Do Federation with his trainer and other karateka. He also devoted himself to karate as an active competitor, taking part in the Sri Lankan championships. From 1975 to 1979, he was the uninterrupted Sri Lankan champion. Just a few years later, in 1987, he introduced Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu, one of the largest Shitō-Ryū styles, to Sri Lanka. The following year, he introduced the same style to Great Britain, where he served as Chief Instructor and guided the fortunes of the association. Few people know that, even at that time, students came from Iran to learn Shitō-ryū karate from him. These students later established Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate-Do in Iran.Upon arriving in Germany, Shihan Athula established Dhammika Karate-Do in 1999. He also served as Chief Instructor for Japan Karate-Do Ryobu Kai, which was founded by Yasuhiro Konishi (10th Dan) and recognised by the Japanese Ministry of Sport at the time.
In the years that followed, Shihan Athula played a decisive role in spreading Shito-Ryu karate in Germany. He is still one of the two technical advisors for the Shito-Ryu style at the DKV (German Karate Association) and is also the technical advisor and chief instructor for Sato-Ha Shito-Ryu in Europe. He is also the Shito-Ryu style supervisor at the KVBW (Karate Association of Baden-Württemberg). To date, Shihan Athula has taught tens of thousands of people Karate-Do with great patience, passion, helpfulness and dedication, including many renowned karatekas from the sporting world.
Dear Shihan, We wish you all the best: happiness, good health and longevity!