Elected as member of WAKO World Women in Sport Committee

City’s Pooja Harsha, Chairman, WAKO India Women Committee, got elected as a Member of WAKO World Women in Sport Committee. The election was held recently in Antalya, Turkey.

WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations) is an International Kickboxing Federation with 129 affiliated nation’s in the five continents of which over 90 are officially recognised by either National Olympic Committee or relevant National Government Sports Authority.

In the 20 years history of WAKO India, Pooja Harsha is the first woman to represent Asia Continent and India in the WAKO World Women Committee Election. There were 20 nominated candidates across the world, amongst them only seven women got elected including Pooja.

The other elected members are Sharon Gill (Great Britain), Ana Isabel Sordo (Spain), Kristin Vollstad (Norway), Rabia Ozge Kayici (Turkey), Mariana Contreras (Guatemala) and Emma Ankargren (Sweden).

Being the first woman from Mysuru to be awarded the Black Belt Second Degree in K1 Style under WAKO, Pooja also has to her credit of being the first South Indian woman to be the National Coach (beating 200 counterparts) in the WAKO India. The kickboxing national medallist is also the first woman in South India to be selected as an International Referee/ Judge in Ring Sports who introduced kickboxing in schools under WAKO.

Daughter of Janaki Das (Senior Staff Nurse, Government Hospital, Jayalakshmipuram) and Hari Das (Businessman), residents of Jayalakshmipuram in Mysuru, Pooja is married to Harsha Shankar, Founder of Academy of Self Defense (ASD), Mysuru and an International Referee, who is also an Asian Bronze medallist in Kickboxing.