Feature

Realistic Self-Defense at North South University

Lindsay C. Atkinson

These days, it has become extremely risky for females to travel alone if we consider the increasing rates of hijacking and mugging all across our city. Female students are always vulnerable to such perils and are in constant fear when it comes to their safety. This is particularly true for the students who have classes in the evenings and have to travel home alone using public transport. Keeping that in mind, North South University Social Services Club (NSUSSC) has taken the initiative to introduce a self-defense crash course at NSU for its female students in association with F.I.R.S.T (Fast Implementation of Realistic Self-Defense Tactics).

This course is approved by the World Combat Self-Defense Federation, USA, and after its huge success in Europe and the UK, it is being introduced in Bangladesh by Prof. Dr. Yuree. Grand Master Dr. Yuree has 30 years experience in Martial Arts and Law Enforcement Training and is an unarmed combat veteran, a counter terrorist trainer, and an expert on explosives recognition and search and dignitary protection. He is also a martial art highest ranking tenth degree black belt holder and President of WBMAF. He is internationally recognized by the world's all four major Hall of Fame authorities in the top category including the “ World Martial Arts Hall of Fame - USA-2007”.

This course is designed to help people with no previous experience and all fitness levels in the shortest possible time. Through this course students learnt effective street-proven self-defense techniques in the light of modern military defensive tactics, first-aid, CPR, applied anti-rape and anti-hijacking techniques, adrenal response and rear management, firefighting and mind control and meditation. This course will provide the highest level of training to deal with stressful situations and how to overcome fear and be able to utilize various safety and protective measures to ensure one's safety and survival. This course taught the students many tricks and helped them to be more aware of their surroundings thereby engendering confidence in female students so that they can move around more independently without feeling totally helpless.

NSUSSC had an introductory seminar on the 17th February 2008 where students came to know what the course entails before they signed up for the classes. Keynote speakers at the seminar were Dr. Yuree, Dr. SAM Khairul Bashar, Pro-vice Chancellor, North South University and Dr. M. Ali Rashid, Dean of School of Arts and Social Sciences and Club Coordinator, NSU. Classes were held for three consecutive days and all participants were provided with international certificates, F.I.R.S.T. t-shirts, and a membership ID of “International Reality Combat Self-Defense Association.

On the first day, girls were trained on basic self-defense tactics on how to get out of the line of attack. They were also educated about the human body's pressure points and trained on targeting certain points that could instantly injure an individual regardless of size. On the second day, girls were taught how to manage adrenal response and management, perform CPR and administer proper first-aid. Mind control and breathing exercises were also part of the session. On the final day, girls were trained on how to defend themselves in situations of rape and hijacking. Scenarios were set up where girls were sent in unaware of the attackers (volunteers) hiding and prepared to attack. Many were successfully able to defend themselves whereas other participants were not that reactive. This exercise helped them realize how well they were able to respond in cases of sudden attacks, figure out lines of attacks, understand their weaknesses so that they are better prepared to defend themselves in future.

This was a commendable initiative undertaken by the Social Services Club that truly helped train the girls to be stronger individuals and be better capable of handling themselves should a perilous situation present itself.

Taste! It doesn't exist. An artist makes beautiful things without being aware of it. ~Edgar Degas

"The artist belongs to his work, not the work to the artist." ~Novalis~

When I was a child, my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you will become a general. If you become a monk, then you will end up as Pope.' Instead, I became a painter, and wound up as Picasso. ~Pablo Picasso

Answer

Pablo Picasso

Full name: Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Martyr Patricio Clito Ruizy
Born: October 25, 1881 in Spain, died: April 8, 1973 at 91 in France.
Field of work: Painting, drawing, sculpture, paintmaking, ceramics
Movement: Cubism
Famous work: Guernica (1937) The Weeping Woman (1937)