RAW POWER: A Kung-fu student breaking concrete slabs with his elbow at a demonstration held on the occasion of legendary martial arts exponent Bruce Lee's 65th birth anniversary in Vijayawada. Photo: Ch Vijaya Bhaskar

VIJAYAWADA: The soul of the legendary kung-fu exponent Bruce Lee must be immensely proud of the citizens of Vijayawada, as they remembered his contribution to the world-renowned martial art by observing his 65th death anniversary in a befitting way.

On Sunday, when a statue of the Hollywood action hero was unveiled in Hong Kong, the students of Niskin Monk's Kung-Fu Universe enthralled the packed audience at the Railway Institute Grounds by paying respect to Lee and later performing several feats unleashed by Lee in his several run-away success films.

Spell-binding feats

The kung-fu students shattered bricks, concrete slabs, plywood planks with their heads, hands and legs, nonchalantly. However the, trademark Bruce Lee cat shrieks were absent. Says G. Rupas, chief instructor, "Bruce Lee, who took the world by surprise with his mind-boggling fights, is still popular with youngsters. In fact, the uses of weapons like Nanchaku, Tonfa, Ewara sticks, long-handed eagle chap sword and long-handed board sword gained popularity in Hollywood due to Bruce Lee,." The martial artiste who made the audience awe-struck was 22-year-old Kanaka Raju, who performed double Nanchaku to perfection.

He kept swinging both the weapons in various angles in his mock fight, which brought out the images of Lee's climax fight in `Enter the Dragon.' "Lee is my God. The tales, which I heard from many people about Lee inspired me to take up kung-fu," says Raju. Young Keerthi, a student of St Ann's School, too matched her male counterparts, stride to stride by astutely using the long-handed broad sword. Incidentally, the chief instructor awarded the prestigious black belt to both the students. The students, apart from exhibiting their expertise in weapons, also performed several styles of animal fights such as cat, monkey and snake. Rupas said Grandmaster G. Prakasa Rao founded Niskin Monk's and the institution has branches all over Andhra Pradesh and in other States too.

With the Railway Institute administration showing interest in promoting kung-fu among children, the institute has opened a training centre. "Training would be given to children of Railway employees both in morning and evening, said Fatima, secretary, Railway Institute.

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