Kassis Karate Academy India

Kassis Karate Academy India

Shito-Ryu Karate Classes in Kerala

ആത്മവിശ്വാസം · അച്ചടക്കം · ആരോഗ്യം (confidence, discipline, health)

The Indian division of Australia’s Kassis Karate Academy. Traditional Japanese karate for children, teens and adults that builds confidence, discipline and fitness, one class at a time.

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  • WSKF Dan grading in India
  • 14 venues across Kerala
  • Melbourne · Kerala
Three Kassis Karate Academy students in white uniforms in a fighting stance

Classes for every age

Karate programs

From evening batches and school programmes to championships and Dan grading, every class follows the Kassis Shito-Ryu syllabus.

Three smiling karate students wearing brown, purple and blue belts Children, teens & adults

Community Batches

Evening and weekend classes at community halls across Kochi and Kothamangalam, for complete beginners through to black belts.

School students in karate uniforms lined up on the mats at a school championship In-school classes

School Karate Programmes

Karate taught at partner schools during and after the school day, building fitness, focus and confidence in students.

A hand holding a gold medal above rows of championship medals Kata & kumite

Championships

We host and compete in championships, including the 2022 South Zone School Karate Championship with more than 400 students from three states.

Black belts of Kassis Karate Academy India standing in line Senior students

Black Belt & Dan Grading

Senior students prepare for black belt and Dan examinations to WSKF standards. In May 2026 the academy held its first WSKF Dan grading in India.

Also available:

Why karate

More than kicks and punches

Karate-dō means “the way of the empty hand”. Our students leave every class a little stronger in body and mind.

  • Self-confidence

    Every new belt shows students what effort can achieve. Confidence grows on the mat and carries into school, work and life.

  • Focus & discipline

    Kata and drills train concentration, memory and self-control: the habits behind better results everywhere.

  • Fitness for life

    Strength, flexibility, balance and stamina improve together in a full-body workout that never gets boring.

  • Self-defence

    Practical techniques and awareness skills help students avoid trouble, and protect themselves if they must.

  • Respect & character

    Every class begins and ends with a bow. Courtesy, humility and respect for others are part of the training.

  • Competition pathway

    Students who love to compete can train for kata and kumite tournaments under World Karate Federation rules.

An unbroken lineage

From Okinawa to Kerala

Our syllabus traces a direct line from the founder of Shito-Ryu, through the Mabuni family and Shihan Con Kassis, to the instructors who teach you today.

  1. 1889–1952

    Kenwa Mabuni

    Founder of Shito-Ryu

    Combined the Shuri-te of Ankō Itosu and the Naha-te of Kanryō Higaonna into one system and took it from Okinawa to Osaka.

  2. 1918–2015

    Kenei Mabuni

    Second Soke

    The founder's eldest son, who devoted his life to teaching and spreading Shito-Ryu around the world.

  3. 1959–2022

    Shihan Con Kassis

    Founder, Kassis Karate Academy

    8th Dan. A personal student of Kenei Mabuni for more than 25 years and a leading World Karate Federation technical official.

  4. Today

    Sensei Rosanna Kassis

    International Chief

    5th Dan, former Australian and Oceania champion, WKF Referee A and Kata Judge A, and a Director of the WSKF.

  5. India

    Sensei Santhosh Augustine

    President, Kassis Karate Academy India

    Bringing the Kassis lineage and the Shito-Ryu tradition to students across Kerala.

The history of Shito-Ryu

Students and instructors of Kassis Karate Academy India holding their certificates at the May 2026 seminar
International Shito-Ryu Seminar & All India Black Belt Test, N. Paravur, May 2026.

Kassis Karate Academy India

A milestone for karate in Kerala

On 2 and 3 May 2026, Shihan George Pelekis (7th Dan Renshi, WSKF, Shito-Kai Greece) led a two-day international Shito-Ryu seminar for our students and instructors, joined by karateka from other schools across India.

It was followed by the first WSKF black belt and Dan examinations ever held at Kassis Karate Academy India.

  • Basic techniques and the principles of the style
  • Kata and bunkai (practical applications)
  • Competition kata and self-defence

Read the seminar report

Rooted in Kerala

Karate in the land of Kalaripayattu

Kerala is the home of Kalaripayattu, one of the oldest martial arts in the world. Legend tells of Bodhidharma, a monk from South India, taking martial exercises to China’s Shaolin Temple; Chinese boxing in turn shaped the fighting arts of Okinawa from which karate grew. Kerala and karate share the same respect for discipline, breath and the guru.

Today Kassis Karate Academy India trains students in community halls and schools from the beaches of Vypin and Cherai to the hills of Kothamangalam and Thodupuzha.

Find a class near you

“A black belt is a white belt who never gave up.”

Karate proverb

Questions

Frequently asked questions

New to karate? These are the questions parents and beginners ask us most.

Can’t find your answer? Get in touch and we’ll be happy to help.

What style of karate does Kassis Karate Academy India teach?

We teach Shito-Ryu karate-do, one of the four major styles of Japanese karate, founded by Kenwa Mabuni. Our syllabus follows the Kassis Karate Academy of Melbourne, Australia, and the World Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (WSKF).

What age can my child start karate?

Children can join our community batches and school programmes once they can follow instructions in a group, usually from early primary school. There is no upper age limit: many adults begin karate in their thirties, forties and beyond.

Do I need to be fit or have experience to join?

No. Every student starts as a white belt. Instructors adapt training to your age and fitness, and your strength, flexibility and stamina improve as you train.

What should I wear to my first class?

Comfortable sportswear such as a T-shirt and track pants is fine for your first classes. Karate is practised barefoot. Once you decide to continue you will need a white karate uniform (gi).

How does the belt grading system work?

Students progress through coloured-belt (kyu) grades by passing regular gradings in basics, kata and kumite. After the kyu grades comes shodan, the first-degree black belt, followed by higher Dan grades. In May 2026 the academy hosted its first WSKF Dan examinations in India.

Is karate safe for children?

Yes. Classes are run by qualified black-belt instructors, sparring is controlled and uses protective equipment, and children learn that karate is for self-protection, never for starting a fight.

What are the class timings?

Most community batches run in the evening, between 4.00 pm and 8.00 pm, with weekend batches on Saturday and Sunday. Each venue trains on two days a week; the full weekly timetable is on our locations page.

Where are your classes held?

We train at venues across Ernakulam and Idukki districts: Kochi (Vypin, Pallipuram, Cherai, Munambam, Kongorpilly), Kothamangalam, Muvattupuzha and Thodupuzha, and in Settur, Tamil Nadu. Call or WhatsApp us for the class times nearest to you.

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Start your karate journey

Children, teens and adults welcome. Talk to us about classes near you.

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