"It's a conscious decision to keep my son away from limelight. I think it is better to keep them (children) away from all this that is seen everywhere in newspapers and all. I want to give them a normal childhood," Akshay, 46, said in a media interaction here.
After having obtained a black belt in Taekwondo while in India, Akshay studied martial arts in Bangkok, Thailand. And now Aarav too is following his father's footsteps.
"My son is a brown belt. He has just won gold medal in judo in national championship. I am a proud father. I am happy he is doing this," Akshay said.
"I want kids should be taught martial arts from school. I do tournaments (of martial arts) where we invite children from all over the world and then even send them to Japan," he said.
The actors wants government to make martial arts a compulsory subject as it is crucial for self defence.
"I am in talks with government to have martial arts as a compulsory subject for boys and girls. I look forward to that day where every student would be learning martial arts in schools for at least three years. It is my dream," Akshay said.
At a time when Bollywood actors are investing in cricket and football leagues, Akshay is not keen about venturing into this.
"I do what I believe in. I believe in martial arts and hence I promote it. I want to put my money on it. For me martial arts is not about earning money. It has taught me a lot," Akshay said.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
