Syeda Falak, born on April 22, 1995, is a distinguished Indian karate athlete from Hyderabad, celebrated as the “Golden Girl of Hyderabad” for her pioneering achievements in the sport and her subsequent ventures into politics and social advocacy.
Falak began training in karate at the age of 12 in her hometown of Hyderabad, demonstrating immediate talent and securing an international medal within her first six months of training. Her career is marked by several historic firsts for her state of Telangana. She was the first athlete from the state to qualify for the World Karate Championship and the Asian Karate Championships. Furthermore, she became the first female karateka from Telangana to win a gold medal at the Senior National Karate Championship. Her international accomplishments are extensive, with a tally of 22 international championships by 2020. Key victories include gold medals at the 2016 US Open Karate Championship, the 2018 International Karate Championship in Nepal, and the 2022 Shorin Kai Karate Cup in Dubai. She also represented India at the 10th Commonwealth Karate Championship in 2022.
Beyond the competitive arena, Falak is a committed advocate for women’s empowerment. A graduate in political science and a law student, she founded the Syeda Falak Karate Academy, where she offers self-defence and fitness workshops, with a special focus on empowering young girls. In 2016, she collaborated with the Hyderabad City Police to launch a website for its “She Teams” initiative, aimed at bolstering women’s safety awareness. Her public engagement continued with her entry into politics in November 2020, when she joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM). She stated her ambition was to serve marginalised communities and strengthen minority representation, actively participating in campaigns for local elections.
Falak’s contributions have been widely recognised with numerous awards. She received a state-level award from the Chief Minister of Telangana in 2015 and was felicitated with a cash award during Telangana Formation Day celebrations in 2016. Other prestigious honours include an award presented by actor Rajinikanth on behalf of the Karate Association of India (2018), the Hyderabad People’s Choice Award for Sports (2019), the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel Award (2016), and the Bharat Gaurav Samman Award (2014).
She belongs to a Muslim family from Hyderabad; her father is Syed Shah Majaz Ul Haq. Syeda Falak remains an influential public figure through her academy, advocacy, and ongoing community engagement.