Pawan Kalyan Inducted into Kenjutsu, Achieves Historic Global Recognition in Japanese Martial Arts

Renowned South Indian actor, politician and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, PawanKalyan has achieved a significant international honour with his formal induction into Kenjutsu, the ancient Japanese art of swordsmanship. The honour marks a rare global recognition of his more than three decades of disciplined training, research, and commitment to martial arts traditions.

Pawan Kalyan’s engagement with martial arts began well before his entry into cinema and politics. During his early years in Chennai, he underwent intensive training in karate and related disciplines, developing a strong technical and philosophical foundation. Over time, his pursuit evolved beyond physical practice into a deeper study of Japanese Samurai martial traditions, which he researched and followed with exceptional seriousness.

His understanding of martial arts has also found expression in cinema. Through films such as Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi, Thammudu, Khushi, Annavaram, and OG, Pawan Kalyan brought authentic martial disciplines to mainstream Indian cinema, contributing to wider awareness and appreciation of these traditions among global audiences.

In recognition of his sustained dedication, Pawan Kalyan has been conferred with multiple international honours. He has awarded the prestigious Fifth Dan (5th Dan) by the Sogo Budo Kanri Kai, one of the most respected authorities in traditional Japanese martial arts. He is also the first Telugu-speaking person to be inducted into the Takeda Shingen Clan under the lineage of Soke Muramatsu Sensei outside Japan, an honour rarely extended beyond Japanese practitioners.

Additionally, Pawan Kalyan was felicitated by the Golden Dragons organisation with the distinguished title “Tiger of Martial Arts”.

As part of his advanced training, Pawan Kalyan studied under renowned Budo authority Hanshi Professor Dr. Siddiq Mahmoodi, one of India’s foremost exponents of Japanese martial arts.

Under his mentorship, Pawan Kalyan underwent comprehensive instruction in Kendo, attaining a high level of technical proficiency and philosophical depth.

This milestone firmly establishes Pawan Kalyan as one of the few Indian public figures to seamlessly bridge cinema, classical martial arts, and martial philosophy on an international stage. For practitioners and admirers alike, his Kenjutsu induction is not merely a ceremonial honour, but a recognition of a lifelong journey defined by discipline, humility, and continuous learning, core values at the heart of both Budo traditions and his personal ethos.