By Sonia Ahmed | 30 October 2019
There’s more to her than meets the eye. Currently, an International Media Cultural Work student at Hochschule Darmstadt, Germany, Rameesha is the first Pakistani woman to become a certified kickboxing instructor.
Her first brush with kickboxing came in her school, and she went on to earn her Black Belt when she was only 14. In 2016, she graduated as Kickboxing Master from K7 Academy in Karachi.
Rameesha is an ardent sports lover and a media fanatic, but in her heart of hearts, she is an activist. She hopes to combine her passion for sports and media marketing to make this world a better place for all.
In the future, Rameesha hopes to “integrate my two seemingly divergent passions, Sports and Marketing and Communication, and pursue a career combining both.”
Adventure and thrill run in Rameesha’s blood; she has tried her hand at every game under the sun. She says, “I doubt there is any sport which I have not tried my hand at, but kickboxing kind of stuck with me.”
Her first love was cricket though, and she had an exceptional talent to show for it as well. Interestingly, Rameesha was selected to join Pakistan women’s national cricket team as well, but she declined.
Pursuing a career in cricket meant compromising her studies and in turn, her passion for media and marketing. Instead, Rameesha went on to earn her graduation in media sciences in 2014 and started working as Senior Production Manager at iDreams Entertainment.
Despite her studies, work, and kickboxing training, Rameesha always managed to pull out time for community work.
She has been a longstanding member of Critical Mass and Bikestan. Both organizations promote cycling among masses to inspire green options for the daily commute. The ultimate goal is to promote a zero carbon footprint for clean and green Pakistan.
Volunteering for different causes is a huge part of Rameesha’s life and the ultimate goal is always women empowerment.
In 2014 she volunteered as the Rahbar Mentor in The Citizens Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing positive social change through education. As a Rahbor Mentor she inspired young teens “to think of themselves as creators of their own destiny rather than victims of their bleak circumstances.”
Later in 2017, she volunteered as Program Coordinator in Karachi Gliding Club, a sports flying adventure company. Air sports is not very popular among Pakistanis, let alone the country’s female population. But, Rameesha couldn’t let this opportunity slip to inspire young girls to follow their dreams no matter how big and impossible they may seem.
Being the first certified kickboxing instructor, Rameesha got a lot of opportunities to inspire and influence others, especially young girls. Her success, passion, and determination encouraged women to take their wellbeing and security in their hands.
She widened her circle of influence through self-defense training sessions organized by Right to Play; a key Women Win partner in US-funded exchange program for women’s right to play sports in the US and Pakistan.
Rameesha is doing her bit to change the mindset and address the reservations among girls and their parents about combat sports.
“They ask me many questions, about developing muscles like men or gaining weight, breaking bones, losing their femininity, etc. I tell them to look at me. People used to think kickboxing was manly. Now they realize it helps make you both physically and mentally stronger”
Later Rameesha worked alongside US Consulate and Consulate-General of Japan to empower women through combat sports and self-defense. She taught girls useful strategies to defend themselves from spontaneous or premeditated violence and abuse.
Her continuous efforts for women empowerment didn’t go unnoticed. In March 2018, she was voted among Women Power 50 i.e., 50 most powerful women in Pakistan by the Jang Media Group. Soon afterward, she got Laurels of Honour Award for Sportswoman of the Year by Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI – Lahore Division).
As a guest speaker at the 10th Women in Business and Leadership Conference, Rameesha stressed on the importance of sports in shaping communities.
Similarly, at 2018 International Women’s Day Event at The Dawood Foundation, she inspired young girls to work hard and live the life of their dreams.