2014 sees the IOGKF India’s Honbu Dojo, the Academy of Martial Arts celebrate its 50th year of continuous operation. Back in 1964 JFK won a landslide
election, Roy Orbison released his hit song ‘Pretty Woman’ and the classic TV
show ‘Bonanza’ was the top rating television show. If it sounds like the academy began a life time ago, its because it did.
IOGKF International was not even being dreamed of, yet a young Indian man
had already embarked on a martial arts journey that still continues to this day.
Sensei Pervez Mistry began is training in Judo at the age of 15 and after four
years achieved his Shodan in the art. He began teaching the art in his home and
the Academy of Martial arts was born.
In 1968 he won a scholarship to travel to Kyoto, Japan to learn more about
martial arts. He began learning Karate and upon his return to India he was
granted permission to open a branch of Seibukan in Mumbai.
By 1977 the stories of Master Morio Higaonna reached India and Sensei Mistry
quickly joined the following and dedicated his life to studying under the Gojuryu Master.
Sensei Mistry is the only remaining IOGKF founding member country chief
Instructor and played a key role in the development of IOGKF. In fact in 1979
at Poole, England Sensei Mistry was present when IOGKF International was
born. It was he who put forward the idea for the IOGKF to be a Federation rather than an association. A move that was quickly adopted by Master Morio Higaonna and other seniors of the day.