Self Defence I Self Defense Awareness Video I Self Defense Tricks I Self Defense Training I NISSMAT

What this session covered

This session took the form of a conversation between a host and a single guest, a former Indian Army officer with instructor qualifications in several international combat systems who now runs a self-defence training consultancy. The guest described moving from military service through corporate security and HR roles into full-time training, and said the Mumbai terror attacks prompted him to establish his company, in the belief that even basic knowledge of how to secure a room or disarm an attacker could save lives. He noted that a day of self-defence training for women employees has since become a workplace requirement, particularly with night-shift working in mind.

The central argument of the discussion was that self-defence is better understood as proactive self-preservation than as reaction to an attack. The guest placed situational awareness first: graded warning signs of being followed, maintaining a safe distance from strangers, and confronting a situation verbally before it escalates. He argued that safety devices such as pepper sprays and tactical pens are of little use without training and rehearsal, that sport martial arts with rules and referees do not prepare people for street encounters, and that effective protection rests on a balance of will and skill. On the legal side, the host outlined the right of private defence under Indian law and the requirement of a proportionate response, while the guest expressed the view that courts have shown understanding towards those who genuinely act to save themselves, and stressed that employers should stand by security guards who use force in the line of duty.

The discussion ranged over practical routines — seating position when travelling alone in a taxi, standing near the control panel in a lift, sharing journey details with family, and caution with unverified delivery personnel at the door — and over audiences often overlooked, including senior citizens living alone. Drawing a parallel from Indian mythology, the guest argued that women should be equipped and prepared to do what they wish rather than restricted by prohibitions. The session closed with the host observing that self-defence is a continuous learning process requiring periodic refreshing rather than a one-time exercise.

Key points raised

• The guest framed self-defence as proactive self-preservation grounded in situational awareness, arguing that avoiding or defusing a confrontation is preferable to fighting one.
• Safety devices such as pepper sprays were said to be of little value unless the carrier has trained in how to deploy them; the person matters more than the equipment.
• The guest distinguished reality-based self-defence from sport martial arts, which he said do not prepare people for street encounters.
• On the legal dimension, the discussion covered the right of private defence and proportionate response, with the guest of the view that courts have been understanding towards genuine acts of self-defence.
• Practical routines discussed included seating position in taxis, standing near lift controls, sharing journey details, and keeping a safe distance from strangers.
• The guest argued that self-defence is a basic life skill for all ages, including senior citizens living alone, and that women should be enabled and prepared rather than restricted.