Madikeri: Noted Karate Master Cheppudira Arun Machaiah has been elected as the Vice-President of National Karate Association.

Arun Machaiah was declared elected in the presence of Retired Judge of Assam High Court Justice B.P. Borkotoki at the Association’s National Council Meeting held under the joint aegis of Union Ministry of Sports and Indian Olympic Association, at Guwahati in Assam recently.

Arun, who became the first national champion in 1977, did his higher training in Karate at Singapore. He has won medals in the heavy weight category in the World and Asian Karate Championships held between 1989 and 1993 at Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, China, Mexico, Nepal etc.

A seventh degree Black Belt holder of World Karate Federation (WKF), he is an International Referee. He has won many awards, including the prestigious Best Sportsperson Award of the Government of Karnataka in 1994. His term of office as the Vice-President of the Association will end in 2024.