Lalmonirhat: Rising from a poor farming family in Lalmonirhat, taekwondo practitioner Santona Rani Roy has earned national and international recognition through her achievements in martial arts and is now training young women while working to promote self-defence, prevent child marriage, and support women's employment.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Santona was born in Haridas village under Sarpukur Union of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat and grew up facing significant hardship. Her family struggled with poverty, unable to afford new clothes during her childhood. To support her younger siblings' education, she worked as a private tutor alongside her own studies. Although many personal dreams went unfulfilled, she aspired to make meaningful contributions to her country and its people.
Determined to make her dreams a reality, Santona embraced taekwondo, earning national and international accolades. Through her efforts, she has also taught taekwondo to many girls, leading her students to win gold, silver, and bronze medals. Collectively, they have amassed 60 medals, solidifying her reputation nationwide.
Santona's family includes her father, farmer Subash Chandra Roy, and her mother, Jamuna Rani Roy, a former volunteer with the Mass Education Programme who taught Santona yoga during her teenage years. As the eldest among three sisters and one brother, Santona has centered her work around taekwondo, public service, and preventing child marriage.
Her success in taekwondo, marked by winning 14 medals, including 10 gold, two silver, and two bronze from 2011 to 2020, has been pivotal in her rising stature. The Lalmonirhat Taekwondo Association (LTA), which she founded, has also achieved significant success, with students winning 46 medals in various competitions.
The government has recognized Santona's consistent achievements through various awards. She expressed her vision by stating, "I want every household in Bangladesh to produce a martial arts daughter like me. The Lalmonirhat Taekwondo Association is working toward that goal. Many people support me in different ways."
Santona is actively involved in preventing child marriage in her region through awareness campaigns and has established 'Santona Handicrafts' to create employment opportunities for underprivileged women.
Her journey into taekwondo began during her time at Rangpur Government College in 2005, where she observed martial arts training on campus. This sparked her interest, and she learned that martial arts promote self-defence, discipline, and physical fitness. She trained with Sitoriyo Karate Do in Rangpur in 2005, the Rajshahi Taekwondo Association in 2010, and the Central Taekwondo Association in Dhaka in 2011, earning her Black Belt First Dan in 2011 and her Second Dan in 2018.
According to information available on the internet, taekwondo is a martial art and the national sport of South Korea, combining combat techniques, self-defence, sports, exercise, and, at times, philosophy and meditation.
Santona's multidimensional work addresses the challenges faced by women in Bangladesh, including rape, sexual harassment, and violence. To combat these issues, she established the Lalmonirhat Taekwondo Association to empower girls and young women with self-defence skills. Additionally, she founded 'Santona Handicrafts' to provide training and employment for underprivileged women.
Bangladesh International Taekwondo Association (BITA) Secretary General Master Solaiman Sikder commented, "I trained Santona in taekwondo. If she receives the right environment and support, she will one day become Bangladesh's best coach."