From politics to martial arts: Pawan Kalyan becomes first 'Samurai' from Andhra Pradesh

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister and Jana Sena Party president K Pawan Kalyan achieved rare international recognition in Japanese martial arts, becoming the first person from Andhra Pradesh to be honoured as a "Samurai".Though the honours were conferred on December 30, 2025, the Jana Sena Party officially issued a press release on Sunday confirming the achievement. Pawan Kalyan was awarded the prestigious fifth dan (5th Dan) by the Sogo Budo Kanri Kai, one of the world's most respected governing bodies of traditional Japanese martial arts. In another honour, he became the first Telugu-speaking individual to be inducted into the historic Takeda Shingen Clan under the lineage of Soke Muramatsu Sensei outside Japan-an honour rarely extended to non-Japanese practitioners.Adding to the distinction, the internationally reputed Golden Dragons organisation felicitated him with the title "Tiger of Martial Arts", recognising his lifelong commitment to martial discipline and philosophy. With these accolades, Pawan Kalyan earned recognition as the first Samurai from AP. During his early years in Chennai, he trained rigorously in karate and allied disciplines, later expanding his practice to in-depth research on Japanese Samurai traditions. Over more than three decades, his journey evolved from physical training to a philosophical pursuit of Budo principles. As part of advanced training, Pawan studied under noted Budo authority Hanshi prof Dr Siddiq Mahmoodi, gaining expertise in Kendo and Kenjutsu.