Bengaluru: According to sources, more than 1.8 lakh girls in residential schools and colleges run by the Department of Social Welfare will receive self-defence martial arts training, which will be launched on Sunday February 5 by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Girls will be trained by experts at their schools in over 1,700 residential schools and hostels run by the Social Welfare Department, including the backward class commission, across the State, and the course will be called ‘Obavva’ self-defence training.

“We want our girls to be as powerful and confident as Onake Obavva,” said Minister of Social Welfare Kota Srinivas Poojary. He said that they have started karate classes informally at a few places, but it will be officially launched on Sunday. “The girls in post-matric have been given karate uniforms. They will have self-confidence if they learn for at least two to three years,” he added.

When it comes to instructors, the Minister said that black-belt women instructors have been outsourced. “We have them in most places, and women experts will train them where they are not available. He noted that the classes will be for one hour each and will be held twice a week, he added.