Srijana Adhikari Becomes Nepal’s First Female AKF Referee
Nepali karate official Srijana Adhikari has achieved a historic milestone on the Asian stage, becoming Nepal’s first female AKF referee after passing a referee upgrading examination in Jordan.
Adhikari earned the distinction during the Asian Karate Federation’s referee and judges programme being held alongside the 24th Asian Cadet, Junior & U21 Karate Championships in Amman, Jordan.
The event is listed on the World Karate Federation competition system for September 8–11, 2026, with a separate AKF-licensed referees and judges officiating programme taking place in Amman.
Her achievement marks an important step not only in her own officiating career but also for the growing presence of Nepali women in technical and decision-making roles in international karate.
According to Jordan’s official Petra news agency, the continental championships opened with 338 athletes representing 30 countries. Ahead of the competition, Petra also reported that an AKF-supervised referees’ course would bring together around 95 local, Arab and Asian officials and would include promotion examinations.
Srijana Adhikari Passes AKF Referee Exam in Jordan
A journey built over years
Adhikari’s rise to referee level did not happen overnight. She has been involved in karate for years as an athlete, coach and official, gradually building experience through domestic and international competitions and referee programmes.
Archival reporting from 2017 shows that Adhikari was among the Nepali officials selected to participate in an AKF Judge ‘B’ examination programme in Sri Lanka, indicating that her pathway into continental-level officiating had already begun nearly a decade ago.
Her progress continued in 2024 when she took part in the Asian karate competition and referee seminar in Manila, Philippines. A contemporary Nepali sports report confirms that Adhikari successfully passed an AKF judge examination at the event.
Her latest success in Jordan takes that journey another significant step forward—from judging duties to an AKF referee qualification.
Six Nepali Officials Succeed in Jordan, but Srijana’s Result Is Historic
Six Nepali officials pass upgrading examination
Adhikari was one of six Nepali officials to pass different levels of the AKF referee upgrading examination in Jordan.
Laxman Khadka passed Kumite Judge ‘A’ and Kata Judge ‘A’, while Tara Gurung, Shanti Tamang and Sanjay Ranjit passed Kumite Referee ‘B’ and Kata Judge ‘A’.
Hiradevi Rai, meanwhile, successfully passed the Kumite Judge ‘A’ examination.
The collective success represents another positive development for Nepal’s technical presence in Asian karate, where referees, judges and coaches play an important role alongside athletes.
A milestone for women in Nepali karate
Adhikari’s achievement carries particular significance for women in Nepali sport.
Female athletes from Nepal have increasingly established themselves in competition, but international roles in officiating, coaching and technical administration remain another important area of development.
Her progression demonstrates that women can build long-term careers within the sport beyond competition and reach recognised officiating levels within the Asian Karate Federation structure.
Nepali women had previously progressed through AKF judging pathways, but available contemporary reporting identifies Adhikari as the first Nepali woman to reach AKF referee level.
Her latest qualification therefore adds another chapter to the development of Nepali karate, one measured not by medals alone, but also by the country’s growing representation among the officials responsible for overseeing competition at the continental level.
