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Rahul Rajakumar

@rahul.rajakumar

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🌓 political economist + martial artist
🧘🏾‍♀️ think critically, train relentlessly
🏛️ building @debatable.uk
📧 [email protected]

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Life has been a long journey. It's hard to condense it all down into one reel but here's a snippet...

My mum gave up her education and fled her home because of war in Sri Lanka.

My dad worked day shifts and night shifts for years (I barely saw him growing up, this caused a lot of anger as a child, but now as a man, I see it differently)

There were times when I woke up as a child to my mum crying on the phone, speaking to our relatives in Sri Lanka.. not sure if we'll hear from the next day. All I would pray for at the temple was for the war to stop, "please stop my people being k*lled. Times I was confused how other children were so happy when all this war and injustice was happening - it made me an odd child. Times when seven of us lived in a two-bedroom house (cousins). Times I struggled mentally and physically and didn’t tell anyone.

Step by step, things changed.

I studied economics because I was good at maths and I was interested in people. I saw it as a blend of maths, psychology & anthropology.
I rebuilt my mental and physical health.
I became an economist.
I graduated from LSE with a distinction.
Now I work in international development, trying to make the world a better place... so they don't end up in a situation like my people did. So there isn't kids like me, confused and angry. I can't fix that by myself, but I get a lot of joy knowing I play a really small part to stopping that.

What's my proudest moment of all?

My brother and I bought our parents a home.

It's hard to explain...To some it’s just a house.
To them, it’s safety. It’s dignity. It’s finally knowing they can stay and no-one will kick them out. You have to remember, they were forced to flee their homes in Sri Lanka. Then moved around in Paris depending on the landlords will. Then the same happened in London. For them, having a place that's ours, brings a level of mental peace nothing else can.

If you made it this far, I appreciate it alot 🙏🏾❤️

The journey is just beginning ✍🏾

#life #immigrant #refugee #southasian #tamil by @rahul.rajakumar

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6 months ago

Amma, Appa... I won.

It’s been a few hours since the fight. The adrenaline’s worn off, the pain’s kicking in as I'm writing this but that's okay.. there's a saying here, "no pain, no muay thai".

Honestly… I still can’t believe I did this. 18-year-old me was 100kg (obese), depressed, had failed my A-levels, and felt like I had nothing going for me. 7 years later, I stepped into the ring against a Thai opponent for a professional A-class Muay Thai fight… and won.

If it’s anything, I just want this to be proof that with enough heart and hard work, ordinary people can do extraordinary things. If you feel like you’re close to giving up, please keep fighting. I promise you…you will win.

My heartfelt gratitudes:

Firstly, thank you to @junmuaythai for being such an incredible gym. I trained at six different gyms in Koh Samui before walking into Jun’s gym, and I instantly knew this was where I wanted to fight out of. The owner, Jun, has such a warm, almost fatherly energy towards everyone. You can recognise a good heart easily.

Secondly, huge thank you to my trainer, @tachanonmatan who suffered a horrible injury in his last fight but still pushed through pain to help prepare me for mine. I appreciate you a lot, brother. I hope I did you proud.

Thirdly, thank you to @nomads_gym, the gym I’ve trained at since the start of this year. Proper gym, proper people. Everyone pushing themselves and each other to improve every single day. Looking forward to being back.

Fourthly, thank you to @kenshirogym2. My very first Muay Thai session was there. I arrived overweight, depressed, and lacking confidence. I left with belief, discipline, and enthusiasm. You sparked something in me and gave me the foundations I still carry today. Though I am far away now, I’ll always have love for everyone there.

Fifthly, thank you to @rubanpillai for being my big-brother throughout this journey. You tell me what I don’t want to hear but it’s usually exactly what I need to hear.

Going to take some time to recover… but I’ll be back in that ring. London, I will give you a performance.

Big love ❤️

- from the boy who didn't give up 🙏🏾

#muaythai #fyp #tamil #fighter #indian taken in Koh Samui, Thailand by @rahul.rajakumar

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5 months ago

Society tells men to stay quiet, tough it out, and deal with things alone.

It's what I do even though I'd never let my friends do the same. I'm a hypocrite in that sense. But I'm learning..

Real strength isn't facing the world alone.
It's having the courage to speak.
Real men talk.
Ask for help.
Face their pain instead of burying it.
You’re not meant to carry everything by yourself.

#mentalhealth #mensmentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #indian #southasian by @rahul.rajakumar

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6 months ago

🇬🇧x🇨🇦 linkup

First time properly meeting some of my Canadian Tamil brothers last weekend through @vetritamilboxing and what an experience it was. Meeting Tamils with the same passion for martial arts - felt like I found my long list cousins.

There’s something special about martial arts. For a sport so pure in its violence, it has an incredible way of bringing people together. The friendships, the connections, the brotherhood you build along the way. That’s what makes it so much more than just fighting.

Had an amazing time training with @__madman25 & @murdamasi ❤️

It’s been incredible to see what you guys are building with @cholanscombat_dynasty

Respect for the work you’re putting in, and hopefully we can run it back in Canada soon. 🐅

#tamil #toronto #jaffna #cholas #chennai by @rahul.rajakumar

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5 days ago

🇨🇦 TAMIL UNITY 🇬🇧
Martial arts isn't just about training. It’s about bringing people together. Grateful for the chance to meet, connect, and build strong relationships with Tamil brothers and sisters from across the ocean doing what we love. No matter how many miles separate us, our roots and our shared passion bring us together every single time.
@rahul.rajakumar by @rahul.rajakumar

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9 days ago

Speed Debating III is BACK, and it’s women’s ONLY.

Questions can vary from politics to philosophy to tech and so on!

After each round, you move to a new table with new questions, new women, and another 20 minutes to do it all again!

Come with a strong opinion or none at all. Either way, you’ll leave thinking differently.

The only rule is that we attack the idea, never the person.

📅 23 October, 6:00 PM
📍 The Hearth (Library), 16 Lonsdale Road, Queen’s Park
🔗 Link in bio to RSVP

Tag the friend who always has a take.

#debatable #speeddebating #womensonly #londonevents #betterconversations by @rahul.rajakumar

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10 days ago

OCTOBER LINEUP (UPDATED)

Speed Debating II: Thursday 1st, 6 to 9pm
Speed Debating III (women’s only): Friday 23rd, 6 to 9pm
Book Club (online): Tuesday 27th, 6:30 to 7:30pm
Book Club (in-person): Saturday 31st, 4 to 5:30pm

This month we’re reading Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Come with a strong opinion, or leave with a new one.

Tickets and waitlist are in our bio. Spots tend to go quickly, so grab yours early.

#events #london #eventsinlondon by @rahul.rajakumar

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10 days ago

Believe in yourself 🙏🏾

#muaythai #kickboxing #fatloss #gymmotivation #fyp by @rahul.rajakumar

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a month ago

always.

#tamil #eelam #tamileelam by @rahul.rajakumar

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5 months ago

real

#politics #immigrants #reformuk #conservative #labour by @rahul.rajakumar

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2 months ago

Eelam Tamil ❤️💛

#eelam #tamil #tamilnadu #chennai by @rahul.rajakumar

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6 months ago

just a thought :)

#marx #politics #wealth #philosophy #lse by @rahul.rajakumar

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3 months ago