Meet the incredible little girl who has become the world's youngest-ever female karate black belt - aged just five-years-old.

Mini martial arts expert Varsha Vinod is now the ultimate karate kid after being awarded the prestigious belt.

Varsha has been training since she was just two-years-old and has already got 15 katas, or disciplines, of karate under her belt.

Her skills also include the mastery of deadly martial arts weapons the yawara stick, or Chinese stick, and the nunchucks.

Varsha, who is a student at the KoInChi Academy of Martial arts, in Allappuzha, has to train for a gruelling two-and-half-hours a day to keep her skills fresh.

And recently, in front of a crowd of thousands, the diminutive dan received her official black belt title from state officials at an event in Alappuzha, in Kerala State, India.

Varsha, who also finds time to attend her local English school when she is not training, said she was very proud of her belt.

She said: "I was very excited when I got my belt and I like karate very much.

"The other children are very proud of me; I don't think they are frightened of me.

"I hope I can get better and I want to keep doing karate, but when I'm older I would like to be a doctor."

Proud dad Viswanathan Vinod, 37, said Varsha's family and the entire neighbourhood was excited about her achievement.

He said: "She was absolutely delighted, but I don't think she has really understood how amazing this thing is for someone of her age.

"She picked it up very well to everybody's surprise, even though I was a little worried but she loves it.

"We all are extremely delighted and proud.

"Unfortunately she could not participate in a recent competition because she had been bitten on the leg by a snake.

"But the belt was awarded in special function organized by KoInChi Academy at Alappuzha.

"There were thousands of people there and they all congratulated her after her demonstration of double nunchuck rotation and kangudai Katas, which are karate disciplines.

"I never thought that she could handle that much so young and the effort she has put in is amazing.

"Her lifetime ambition is to be a physician, but at the same time she wants to continue to practice more on karate."

School teacher mum Sunitha Vinod, 27, said her daughter had a wisdom beyond her years.

She said: "Varsha has always been quite a serious little girl and she knows what she wants, I am very proud of her.

Varsha's coach MR VZ Sebastain, who has been teaching students for more than 30 years, said he saw something special in Varsha.

He said: "I spotted that this little girl had excellent concentration and dedication at this early stage.

"We trained together and she always puts a great effort in her training.

"I am very proud of her for learning 15 katas and kubudos and I think she is very special student, but I think the best is yet to come from her in future."

Chief instructor Andy Kirby, from the UK's Central Federation of Traditional Shotokan Karate, said Varsha was definitely very unusual.

He said: "She must be exceptionally talented, be very good technically and have a good memory.

"I have never heard of a child this young getting a black belt before, she must be very special.

"I give her a pat on the back for doing this; in the UK we don't even start training children until they are at least five years old because of insurance issues."

The Guinness Book of Records and India's own record book Limica are now looking into Varsha's achievement to create a new world record.

MUST CREDIT PHOTOS BY: Caters News Agency Ltd / Rex Features