Workshop on Self-Defence

On June 23, 2023, a workshop on self-defence was organized by the Department of B.Ed., Loreto College, Kolkata. The resource person for the workshop was Ms Shankhabela Mukherjee, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Loreto College. She holds a 3rd DAN Black Belt in Karate and is a strong advocate of the need for self-defence awareness amongst women. The first-year students of the Department of B. Ed. participated in the workshop.

After a brief introduction about the social stigma that is present in today’s society about a woman’s position and safety, Ms Mukherjee demonstrated certain basic self-defence techniques. These included: how to land a proper punch, the correct way to land a kick without harming oneself, how to get out of the grip of an attacker, and how to defend oneself when restrained from behind.

She scientifically explained which parts of the human body are strongest and can be used to defend oneself, and which are the weak points that require one to counterattack to defend themself. She also stressed on the importance of being strong and confident as teachers in order to set an example for students.

The workshop was enlightening and stimulating as it broadened the spectrum of the participants’ knowledge about various techniques of self-defence, which may be regarded as basic life skills in today’s world.