The Karate Contingent of International Shotokan Karate United Club posed for a photograph just after the finals of the National Karate Championship 2022 held in Bandaragama. Aruthsha Nirmal Rajapaksha standing extreme left in the picture. (Picture by Dilwin Mendis, Moratuwa Sports Special Correspondent)
Arthusha was born on 2 nd September 2008 and hails from Thalgahapitiya, Bingiriya and he was admitted initially to Wellarawa Maha Vidyalaya when Mr. Henry was at the helm of the school and his first class teacher was Mrs. Malani. When he was in this school he did not take an interest in sports and when he was in Grade 4 and 5 he participated for the team events at his school inter house sports meet. He passed the Grade 5 scholarship examination with flying colours and admitted to Madampe entral College in 2019 and as he showed an interest to Karate his parents Chaminda Rajapaksha and Wasana Lakmai admitted their son to International Shotokan Karate United Club and he came under Sugath Kumara and he commenced Karate in 2018.
His first attempt was in 2019 at the Sri Lanka Karate Do Federation North Western Provincial Tournament and in the under eleven age group he won a Silver Medal in Kumite and in the same year at the District Karate Meet he won a Gold Medal and at the Universal Shotokan Karate Union Sri Lanka Meet he won a Bronze in Kumite and in 2019 Hithano Isano Open Invitation Karate Championship he grabbed a Bronze for Kata. Kumite. During a span of three years he has won 11 Medals which includes 5 Golds 2 Silvers and 4 Bronzes.