Sudhir started karate at five years old. Like many children, he lacked confidence. He was bullied. The dojo became the place where that changed.
Karate gave Sudhir something school and home could not — a structured environment where discipline, respect and effort were rewarded. His confidence grew with every grading.
Sudhir stepped into competition and found his arena. Training intensified. The discipline of tournament preparation shaped his approach to karate and to coaching.
His karate journey took him beyond South Africa onto the international stage. The experience shaped his vision for what a South African academy could achieve.
Sudhir opened his dojo at a young age, driven by a simple conviction: karate had changed his life, and it could change the lives of other children too. Lionmode was born.
Today, Lionmode trains hundreds of students across Durban from three-year-olds taking their first lesson to athletes competing at provincial and national level.
Karate is not just about fighting. It is about building a better you.
Sensei Sudhir Balli
