Our Founder

Sensei Stephan Leong | Our Founder

 

 

Sensei Stephan Leong was born on 18th October 1959. He took Martial Art as a Career by Practicing since 1973 and after 9 years of continuous training he went to Singapore and Malaysia for further training and obtained Black Belt 1st Dan in Karate. From the year 1976 onwards he started to impart training to the students and even trained himself with the ambition of achieving higher goals. Sensei Stephan Leong was the founder of the All Meghalaya Karate-Do Association since 1981. He was the President Cum Technical Director of the Association since the inception till 2011. He has dedicated most of his life solely for promoting the art of Karate in the State of Meghalaya in particular and the whole North Eastern Region in general. Previously he also hold the post of Technical Director of Karate in the States of Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. He is a 4th Dan Black Belt in Shotokan Karate Awarded by the Japan Karate Association headquarter at Japan and 5th Dan Black Belt Awarded by the All India Karate-Do Federation (AIKF).

In the past twenty six years as a keen Karate Practitioner and dedicated Instructor he had trained many Karatekas of the North Eastern Region in general and of Meghalaya in particular thus raising them up to the level of National Champion and even World Champion. To name a few Banshanlang Kharumnuid was the 7 times National Champion (4 Times Junior and 3 Times Senior) and silver medalist in the individual’s men's open kata at 8th South Asian Federation (SAF) Games 1999 at Kathmandu, Nepal. Damang Syngkon was the 4 times National Champion and gold medalist in the men's 50 kg. Category at 8th SAF Games. He also represented India in the 14th Asian Games at Busan, South Korea from 29th Sept to 14th Oct, 2002. Linza Fenny Syiem was the 4 times Junior National Champion and 5 times Senior National Champion. She won the Title of 'Junior World Champion in Shoto World Cup 1998 at Paris, France and also won the bronze medal in the 8th SAF, Games in the 48 kg. Senior Category, She participated in the 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou, China from 12th to 27th November, 2010.

He is also the sport lovers where he also involved in other sports disciplines by being the Ex - General Secretary of the Meghalaya Arm Sport Association, Ex Organizing Secretary of the Meghalaya Powerlifting Association, Ex-Council Member of the Shillong Sports Association. Besides, he is a social worker by being the Ex-President of the Society for Prevention of Animal and Care for Environment (SPACE) in Shillong and also the Ex Board of Directors, Y.M.C.A., Shillong.

Sensei Stephan Leong passed away on 23rd October, 2011 after a prolonged illness. A father figure to many, his demise has left a vacuum in the sports of Karate in Meghalaya.

 

Award & Achievements Received

  1. Participated in the International Karate Open Championship held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 4th and 5th August 1984.
  2. Captain of the Indian Team during the 6th Shoto World Cup held at Osaka, Japan on 3rd & 4th August, 1996.
  3. Captain and Assistant Indian Team Coach during the 7th Shoto World Cup held at Gousssaiville, Paris on 1st & 2nd August, 1998.
  4. Maitshaphrang Award for Sports, awarded by the Forever Young    Sports Club, Shillong on the 12th Sept. 1998 at Crinoline, Shillong.
  5. Indian Team Coach during the 8th Shoto World Cup held at Tokyo, Japan from 22nd - 24th September 2000.
  6. Annual Vocational Award for Sports, awarded by the Rotary Club of Shillong on the 27th October 2000 at Shillong Club, Shillong.
  7. Recipient of the "Meghalaya Day Award 2003"(U Kiang Nangbah Award for Sports) by the Government of Meghalaya during the Meghalaya Day Celebrations on the 21st January 2003 at Polo Ground,  Shillong.
  8. Indian Team Coach during the 10th Shoto World Cup held at Sydney, Australia from 14th – 20th August, 2006.