Shihan Shanta Thokar, a renowned karate instructor based in New York City, hails from Melung Municipality in Dolakha District, Nepal. The youngest of three brothers and one sister, Thokar spent his school years in his village and moved to Kathmandu for college. During his college years, he developed an interest in karate.
Beginning at the age of 17, he now resides in Queens, New York, after first moving to the U.S. in 2005. Since 2007, he has been living and working in the U.S., where he became the first Nepali to obtain a referee license from the American Karate Federation and the Pan-American Karate Federation.
Additionally, he holds a 7th Dan degree in karate. Shihan Thokar operates two karate dojos in New York, where around 200 athletes are trained, and his two sons are also trained in karate, with his youngest son actively pursuing the sport.
Thokar’s karate journey began in Nepal under the ‘Wadokai Karate’ style, with his first teacher being the late Man Bahadur Tamang. Over the years, he has trained numerous students and become a prominent figure in the Nepali karate community in the U.S.
Last year, he organized the first-ever karate competition for the Nepali community in the U.S., a major milestone since no Nepali had previously done so. Thokar, with over 40 years of karate experience, is now planning to offer free karate training to economically disadvantaged athletes in Nepal, recognizing the financial barriers preventing talented athletes from participating in international competitions.
In addition to this, Thokar is preparing for the second karate competition in the U.S. in November 2025, after the success of the first one held in December 2024. He also envisions organizing international karate competitions in Nepal, believing that such events could not only foster international sports engagement but also promote Nepal’s tourism industry by attracting foreign athletes and visitors. Thokar aims to invest the earnings from these competitions into the development of karate athletes and organizations in Nepal. He has also expressed his concerns about the need for modern and scientific training methods in Nepal, stressing that the current infrastructure and resources for athletes still need significant improvement.
Thokar is committed to using karate as a medium to boost tourism in Nepal and hopes that Nepal’s Ministry of Tourism, Nepal Tourism Board, and foreign embassies will support such initiatives. His ultimate goal is to organize an international karate competition in Nepal, contribute to the future of karate athletes, and promote the country’s tourism.
