Mehram Hazara’s life has always existed between contrasts.

Born in Toronto, Ont., and raised for several years in Pakistan, he grew up inside a gated military community because his grandfather served in the army.

There were armed guards, political connections and comfort.

“It was a little bit more of a life of luxury,” Hazara said.

Outside of those gates was a world full of uncertainty. Hazara lived through the 1999 coup led by Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan, along with curfews and rising extremism after 9/11.

As a visible ethnic and religious minority, he knew the danger.

“There’d be martial law. There was always some danger,” he said in an interview with the Calgary Journal. “I’ve witnessed a few bombings.”

While these events shaped his early worldview, the hardest challenge came later—adjusting emotionally after returning to Canada.

Mehram Hazara coaching karate. PHOTO BY: DAVID MARTINEZ

The Quiet Struggle

When his father accepted a decent-paying job in Canada, Hazara moved there permanently at age seven.

He went from being surrounded by a large extended family in Pakistan to a much quieter, more isolated environment.

This sudden change took a heavy toll on Mehram’s well-being.

“He felt very lonely and sad,” his mother Edwina Hazra said, reflecting on the transition.

As a child, Mehram struggled to express his emotions. His mother described him as withdrawn and reserved during this time.

“He was very quiet back then. He didn’t talk very much,” she said. “Mostly mentally, he’s just kind of very quiet at home.”

Instead of opening up, he often coped by keeping to himself.

He did this by watching TV or playing alone.

At the time, he was also navigating differences in culture, language, and social behaviour in a new country.

Although his mother described his mental state as “good,” her observations suggested Mehram was a child who dealt with loneliness and adjustment in silence.

“It’s not about the big wins. It’s about the small things.”

Mehram Hazara

Finding an Outlet

Mehram moved to Calgary in his early teenage years, where he joined Foothills Karate to channel anger and excess energy.

“I was kind of forced into karate, it was a way to control that,” he said.

He progressed from student to class leader, learning discipline and structure, yet adulthood brought about new challenges.

In 2017, Hazara moved back to Toronto for work.

He took jobs at Wendy’s and Best Buy, living paycheck to paycheck.

When the COVID-19 lockdowns hit in 2020, his stability disappeared.

“Within an eight-hour day, you’re out of a job,” he said. “You kind of have to do what you’ve got to do.”

Once again, he faced uncertainty. But this time, he returned to something familiar.

Embracing Uncomfortability

The turning point in his life wasn’t a career breakthrough, it was returning to serious karate training at Iron Fist Karate. There, he shifted his focus to kumite, a full-contact sparring discipline.

“I tried it there, and it was uncomfortable and a little scary,” Hazara said. “I figured, might as well just embrace it.”

Through this, leaning into discomfort became his philosophy.

Mehram Hazara coaching a karate class. PHOTO BY: DAVID MARTINEZ

A New Definition of Success

In 2024, Hazara moved back to Calgary and secured an IT position at a mortgage brokerage. The job has provided stability and flexibility, while coaching provides him with purpose.

“My favourite part is seeing the impact you have on these students’ lives,” he said. “It’s not about the big wins. It’s about the small things.”

Today, Hazara measures success differently. Political unrest, cultural adjustment, and economic hardship all shaped him, but on the dojo floor he found direction by helping young athletes build confidence and control.

For Hazara, growth has never come from comfort. It comes from stepping forward when things feel uncertain and trusting that, eventually, the timing will be right.

“Success isn’t always about doing your best; it’s about timing… if you try your best at something and you don’t get there, that means it’s not your time yet. Once your time comes, it will all click.” Mehram said

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