History of Kickboxing in India starts with the initiative of Grandmaster Solomon Isaac, who first introduced full contact karate (it was the name given during those days) in India later part of 1960s and early part of 1970s. It was under him that thousands of people, both from civil and armed forces from India, underwent training in kickboxing.
He was the one who first introduced "Full Contact Karate" championship in 1985. Here participants indulged in no-hold-barred style of competition. Later, in order to minimize the amount of risk, protective gears were introduced which comprised of;
1. Head guards - to protect the face and head from punches and kicks
2. Gum shields - to minimise the risk of breaking teeth during competition
3. Kickboxing Gloves - to minimise the effect of punches while fighting in the ring
4. Compulsory protectors for groins
5. Shin guards and kick boots - to diminish the result of Kicks during bouts.
Over the years, kickboxing in India have grown in popularity. Events in, places like, Nasik and Maharashtra have grown in fame and popularity. In the year 1994, Daniel, son of Grandmaster Solomon Isaacs, represented India in the WAKO Kickboxing Mini Olympics held in Crimea in the Ukraine. In that competition, Daniel crated history by winning India`s first Gold Medal Title at the World Title Promotion event held at Nasik, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. All the events took place under the watchful eyes and sanction offered by the Federation of Oriental Martial Martial Arts which is registered under the Government of India.
Presently Daniel Isaac has taken over the mantle of promoting kickboxing from his father. Daniel, in the year 2004, organized the 1st World Kickboxing League, USA. Asian Open Kickboxing Cup which was sanctioned by the World Kickboxing League USA and was covered nationally and internationally on 11th Jan 2004 on Zee News Network.
Apart from successfully conducting his event, Daniel Isaac has also overseen, with utmost degree of achievement, the Kickboxing training for the soldiers of 116 TA Battalion. He was appointed the Chief National Delegate in India for World Kickboxing League Inc. with its headquarters in Miami, USA. Later, Daniel also organized another International Kickboxing event in Nasik called "Clash of the Champions". In this event, the then mayor of Nasik, Mr Dashrath Patil, was invited as the chief guest.
Kickboxing is very different from that of other sports like boxing, karate, judo, Kung fu and Taekwondo. It provides self defence to the person who practises it regularly.
The All India Kickboxing Council consists of the best Kickboxing officials, fighters, coaches and managers in India and South Asia. Already the AIKC has members from every part of the country.
