Meet 5-year-old Fateh Singh Gill: India's youngest Martial Arts Champion, gold medallist in Gatka on Skates
PTC News Desk: Fateh Singh Gill, a five-year-old boy from Punjab's Amritsar district is making headlines after winning gold in Gatka on Skates at the World Martial Art Games 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand.
While most children his age are busy learning basic school lessons and trying out new activities, Fateh has won a gold medal in Gatka on Skates at the World Martial Art Games 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand.
Fateh's achievement is special because he performs Gatka, the traditional Sikh martial art, while skating, combining two different skills.
Fateh Started Learning Gatka at Two
Fateh's interest in martial arts was noticed when he was around two years old. His father, Ramandeep, who has competed in bodybuilding events in Europe, noticed that Fateh had unusual wrist movements that could be useful for Gatka.
His mother, Navpreet Kaur, said Fateh's father quickly realised that the child had a natural ability with his hands. He later had a small kirpan specially made for Fateh and introduced him to Gatka.
Initially, the family thought Fateh might enter sports when he was around 10 or 11 years old. However, he progressed much faster than they expected.
His parents were surprised to see him achieve success in Sikh martial arts at such a young age, with his international gold medal marking another major milestone in his journey.
Fateh's family shared videos of him performing Gatka on social media, catching the attention of an official associated with a European martial arts championship. Soon, Fateh's father began training him for the competition, though the family had to overcome a visa roadblock before Fateh could amaze the world.
"His father trained him for three to four months leading up to the competition in May 2024. As a mother, I brought nappies, food, and other essentials to his training sessions because he was only three at the time and couldn't feed himself." For the family, the child's dedication was reason enough to give him full backing. "For three or four months, this child worked extremely hard. As parents, we had to support him, so we decided that we would not let any situation stop him," she said.
- With inputs from agencies
