XTRASPECIAL
“I'm Manasi, Ethan's mother. It feels amazing to be known by my son's name,” says Manasi Sebastian as she lauds her son’s achievements and invites for his felicitation on December 16 at Guirim at the hands of Saligao MLA Kedar Naik. Ethan Sebastian has created a world record in kickboxing by being the first autistic child to represent India and win gold medal for India in Musical form at the World Kickboxing Championship organised by World Kickboxing Federation along with Kickboxing Federation of India in Alicante, Spain from November 18 to 22 this year. It’s noteworthy that Ethan performed with normal children in sub-junior category though he was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of three. In addition to ADHD, Ethan is also diagnosed with autism spectrum.
“It was a surreal moment, and we're still pinching ourselves. But it was all worth it, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” exclaims the proud mother. Ethan has now learnt musical form of kickboxing and he doesn’t fight, explains Manasi, adding, “He participated in general category along with normal kids. I want to tell the parents of such kids to give their child a chance. Don't assume when your child can do or cannot do, don't give up.”
Setting an example for others to follow, the Sebastian family concentrated on their son’s progress while keeping aside their personal goals and aspirations. “I am not working now; we had business that we closed to focus on Ethan. We shifted from Pune to Goa. Ethan’s father Alvin works abroad,” shares Manasi.
Sharing Ethan’s dream to learn kickboxing and become a fighter, Manasi says he also likes cooking and painting with his younger brother. Ethan likes meeting new people and travelling and has learnt to communicate too. He speaks Hindi, Marathi, Konkani and English. “I am a world champion now. I brought gold medal for India,” Ethan told his mother as he was feeling very happy for this achievement.
Ethan is a Green Belt in Karate under International Shotokan Sports Karate-Do Federation (ISSKF – India) and has won several medals and first places. Ethan won Gold medal in Musical Form at the National Kickboxing Championship in 2023 organised by Kickboxing Federation of India at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi. Here he created his first National record by being one of the eight autistic children to perform at a National Championship in India.
Ethan was felicitated by Lions Club of Mapusa for this outstanding achievement. He also won gold medal in 2023 for Musical Form at the All State Open Karate Championship in Margao. This year, in 2024 he won Gold medal in Musical Form at the National Kickboxing Championship organised by Kickboxing Federation of India in Dehradun. Here Ethan attended selections to represent India at the World Kickboxing Championship held in Alicante, Spain (Europe) and was selected.
Ethan was felicitated, on the occasion of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) for his achievement in securing Gold Medal for India in Kickboxing Musical Form at the World Kickboxing Championship in Spain. Ethan was felicitated by Subhash Phal Dessai, minister for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for PWDs in the presence of E Vallavan, IAS.
Ethan has proved that his disability does not define his ability. A student at Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Porvorim Ethan has been taking sports training at CKB Martial Art Academy in Mapusa.
Manasi recalls, “In his first preschool in Pune, Ethan was deemed unfit for group activities and was kept out of annual day and sports day events. By the time Ethan was six, we had already changed schools five times. After learning about Sanjay Centre for Special Education, Goa, we decided to move, leaving everything behind. We met Dr Jessica Pinto, at the Asilo Hospital, who assessed Ethan and advised that he also had autism, in addition to ADHD, which had gone undiagnosed until then.”
The Sebastians enrolled Ethan in Sanjay school where he studies at Shraddha section which focuses on academics along with extracurricular activities like cooking, dance, music, and sports.
After taking occupational, speech and behaviour therapies, from school and with doctors privately, the Sebastians were suggested about a coach who is training autistic children in karate and kickboxing. “We enrolled Ethan in CKB Martial Art Academy in Mapusa under the coaching of trainer Hussain Mulla for kickboxing and karate. This was only to help him release his excess energy, but Ethan took to it immediately. He showed significant results and kickboxing helped him to channelize his energy, to focus and most importantly live a disciplined routine. So much so that he looks forward to going to the class every single day,” explains Manasi.
Ethan has found a best companion and mentor in Ahd. She’s only 12 but has been trained under Hussain Mulla to handle special children. Ahd is doing an exceptional job that even some adults cannot do,” praises Manasi and thanks her stars that Ethan has finally on the right track of life.
