Hapkido in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Hapkido Federation of India (hapkidoindia.in), Field Vision — 8th National Hapkido Championship coverage, Hindustan Metro — 9th National Hapkido Championship, West Bengal team coverage).

Overview

Governing body: Hapkido India
Origin: Korea
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Combat
Total players listed: …

Hapkido is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The Hapkido India oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Hapkido is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

Combat sport pathways in India are unusually deep because of the country's traditional akhara and dojo culture sitting alongside the modern federation structure. The Hapkido India runs sub-junior, junior, youth and senior nationals every year, and weight-category selection trials decide who represents India at continental and world events. Sports science, weight management and injury rehabilitation have become major focus areas since multiple Indian combat athletes have reached the Olympic and World Championship podium. SAI's combat-sport centres at Patiala, Lucknow, Bhopal, Sonepat and the IIS in Vijayanagar form the backbone of the elite training network.

At the grassroots, the route into Hapkido typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Hapkido originated in Korea, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Hapkido, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the Hapkido India, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Hapkido is played and developed across India under the Hapkido India, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How hapkido evolved globally and took root in India.

Hapkido traces its modern origins to Korea. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and Hapkido India is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, hapkido grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under Hapkido India, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Hapkido sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Indian Players

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Rules

Hapkido is a Korean self-defence art built on three principles — non-resistance (hwa), circular motion (won) and the water principle (yu) — combining joint locks, throws, pressure-point control, kicks and strikes. Competition formats vary by organization and typically include self-defence demonstration (technique pairs judged on control, accuracy and realism), forms/breaking (kyokpa), and sparring under padded-contact rules with rounds of one to two minutes. Techniques redirect an opponent's force rather than meeting it, and grading progresses through a coloured-belt system to black-belt dan ranks.

Authoritative rulebook: Hapkido India. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a hapkido squad or competition.

Fighter / competitor
Contests bouts inside the ring, mat or cage in a set weight category.
Corner / second
Coach in the corner during the bout — allowed to instruct between rounds.
Referee & judges
Officiate the bout, score rounds and enforce safety rules.
Cutman / medical
Manages cuts, swelling and immediate medical needs between rounds.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in hapkido at a federation-recognised event.

Dobok (uniform) with coloured belt indicating grade
Sparring gear: headgear, gloves, shin/instep guards, chest protector, gum shield and groin guard
Traditional training weapons: cane (jipangi), short stick (dan bong), belt and knife (training blade)
Matted training area for throws and breakfalls; breaking boards for kyokpa

Governing body

National federation

Hapkido India

Hapkido India is the recognised national body for Hapkido in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for hapkido. State associations under Hapkido India run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: Korea
Olympic: No
Category: Combat

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Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the hapkido calendar in India.

National Hapkido Championship
Organized annually by the Hapkido Federation of India (HFI, established 2011 in Jammu, J&K; recognized by the World Hapkido Confederation as India's national governing body, and by NYKS under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports), now in its 9th edition (2025, held in Rajasthan with over 500 athletes from 15 states). HFI reports a network of roughly 1,000 instructors across 16 states teaching an estimated 10 lakh (1 million) students nationally.
Governance note
A separately-named 'Hapkido Boxing National Federation-India' also runs its own numbered national championship (11th edition, held in Chennai) for a related hybrid discipline — a distinct organization from HFI, not a rival claim to the same competition.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in hapkido.

World Hapkido Confederation (WHC) events
HFI is affiliated to the WHC and has participated in international martial arts mastership events; specific Indian results at major international hapkido competitions were not clearly available in public reporting.
Pending recognition
HFI has stated an ambition for hapkido to be included in All India Inter-University Games (AIU) and School Games Federation of India (SGFI) competitions — this recognition does not yet appear to be confirmed as achieved.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for hapkido. The national championship under Hapkido India remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised hapkido athletes to know outside India.

Mikaela Mayer (USA) / Naoya Inoue (Japan)
World-title boxers headlining the current pro scene.
Islam Makhachev (Russia)
UFC lightweight champion.
Zaur Uguev (Russia)
Two-time Olympic and multiple-time World wrestling champion.
Kim Yu-Jin (South Korea)
Olympic taekwondo gold medallist.
Uta Abe (Japan)
Olympic and World judo champion.

Records

Where to find India's official hapkido record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Hapkido is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in hapkido are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the Hapkido India.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in hapkido are maintained by the Hapkido India.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for hapkido and mirrored by Hapkido India.
National record holdersFederation register
Hapkido India publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in hapkido — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Grading and competition pathway through HFI's belt system and state hapkido associations across 16 states
The sport's growth in India has been driven substantially by HFI President Premjit Sen, who has personally overseen affiliations and instructor training nationally
Coaching pathway through HFI-recognized instructor certification
As with several other Korean-origin martial arts in India, hapkido's competitive infrastructure is still consolidating relative to more established Olympic combat sports

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Related academies

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Government Schemes

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Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for hapkido athletes and academies.

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FAQs

Common questions about hapkido in India.

Who governs Hapkido in India?▾

Hapkido India is the recognised national federation for Hapkido in India. State associations under Hapkido India run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Hapkido an Olympic sport?▾

Hapkido is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by Hapkido India.

How do I start playing Hapkido in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Hapkido athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Hapkido?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Hapkido athletes selected for international events?▾

Hapkido India runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Hapkido in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Hapkido in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Hapkido