Pawan Kalyan Achieves Historic Kenjutsu Induction, Conferred ‘Tiger of Martial Arts’ Title
The actor-politician and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister becomes the first Telugu-speaking individual inducted into the Takeda Shingen Clan outside Japan, marking a rare global recognition of his lifelong martial arts practice.
Actor-politician and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has added a rare international distinction to his public life, becoming the first Telugu-speaking individual to be formally inducted into Kenjutsu, the classical Japanese art of swordsmanship, outside Japan. The honour, conferred under the lineage of the Takeda Shingen Clan, places him among a small global cohort recognised for sustained engagement with traditional Japanese martial philosophy rather than ceremonial practice alone.
Kenjutsu, which predates modern Kendo, is rooted in the battlefield disciplines of the samurai and is governed by strict codes of physical precision, mental discipline and ethical conduct. Induction into its senior lineages is uncommon, particularly for non-Japanese practitioners. Kalyan’s recognition signals not just technical proficiency but long-term immersion in the history and spiritual framework of the art.
His journey into martial disciplines began decades before his emergence as a screen star or political figure.
During his formative years in Chennai, Kalyan trained intensively in karate and allied combat forms, developing a foundation that later deepened into a sustained study of Japanese budo traditions. Over the years, his practice evolved beyond physical training into scholarly research, mentorship and philosophical engagement with samurai systems of thought.
This lifelong commitment has now been formally acknowledged through multiple international honours. Kalyan has been awarded the Fifth Dan (5th Dan) by the Sogo Budo Kanri Kai, one of the most respected custodians of traditional Japanese martial arts. He has also been inducted into the Takeda Shingen Clan under the lineage of Soke Muramatsu Sensei, an honour rarely extended beyond Japanese practitioners. Adding to this recognition, the Golden Dragons organisation has conferred upon him the title “Tiger of Martial Arts”, citing his sustained contribution to the preservation and popular understanding of classical disciplines.
Kalyan’s martial grounding has also shaped his cinematic work. Across films such as Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi, Thammudu, Khushi, Annavaram and the recent They Call Me OG, his performances have frequently foregrounded disciplined physicality and combat authenticity, helping introduce traditional martial forms to mainstream Indian cinema.
He was last seen in Sujeeth’s period gangster film They Call Me OG (2025) and is set to appear next in Ustaad Bhagat Singh.