As I commence my 56th year in the martial arts, I will record brief details of my combat arts career. My interest in the combat arts began, when I started boxing in school in the 1950s. In those days one did not have many options in selecting a combat sport; hence one had to choose between boxing, wrestling and a local martial art known as Cheena Di aka China footing (A variant of traditional Kung Fu). Judo was taught at the YMCA and other indigenous arts were taught in some villages but I was unaware of these at the time.

I chose boxing as it was taught in school and the boxing season did not interfere with my other activities (Swimming, Corporal in the College Cadet Platoon and Ruggerite). In those days amateurs boxed without the protection used today. We wore no protective head gear; our only safety equipment was a gum shield. The gloves were much lighter too, around six ounces, so a punch was more painful than with the heavier gloves used today. Nevertheless, I enjoyed boxing and accepted, although I did not enjoy, the pain, bloody noses and other injuries inherent in the art. For example, I once received a hard-right hook to my jaw, which burst my left ear-drum. (I had earlier ruptured this by trying to free-dive too deep while spearfishing). This caused some consternation among the onlookers, one of whom suggested that I give up boxing. But I loved the sport and continued, with varying success until I left college. A police officer who was a former Olympic boxer and national light weight champion was a neighbor of mine. Shortly after leaving college I used to accompany him to the police boxing ring in Bambalapitiya, where I did improve my skills. Several of Sri Lanka’s best boxers trained at this ring and I was awed by the great names which included Munidasa Gomes- Heavy weight, H.I.E. Karunaratne – Bantam weight, Mahagedera – Welter weight, the van Cuylenberg brothers both Bantam weights, my neighbor Sumith Liyanage (aka. The Black Panther) – Light weight and others whose names I have now forgotten. We had two outstanding coaches Eddie Grey (ex Police Officer and Commonwealth Games Gold medalist) and Wolsley Fonseka.

Later on, I became a professional diver and had little time to pursue sports. In the late 1960s I began to hear of a mysterious martial art called Karate. After some searching, I found a club (The Sishi Karate Dojo – later Japan Karate Association, Sri Lanka Branch) and began training in October 1968. After a few years I was appointed Assistant Instructor. In those days the different schools were friendly with each other and we often trained together; sometimes exchanging techniques. So, I learnt Kyokushin karate from the legendary D.W. Weilgama (Sri Lanka’s first Black-belt), Shotokan from Tissa Gunaratne (founder of the Japan Karate Association, Sri Lanka Branch) and Gamini Rupesinghe, and Wado Ryu from Gary Phillips (US embassy in Sri Lanka). Alas, the various groups soon separated after Weilgama lost his life in a motorcycle accident and Phillips returned to the US. So, for some years I continued to train exclusively in Shotokan Karate. I received my Shodan(First degree black belt) in 1977. I presently hold an advanced Black Belt rank.

Now for some little-known facts about the combat arts. The old masters guarded their “secrets” jealously and prohibited their students from divulging techniques to outsiders. Violation of this rule resulted in severe repercussions. However, in the early 20th century some of the masters were directed by the Okinawan Ministry of Education to make karate available to the general public. So they (the masters) contrived to dilute the techniques they were to present to the public by removing dangerous procedures and introducing a watered-down form of "no contact" sparring, which was taught initially to school children in which punches, kicks etc., are “pulled” short of contact, thereby precluding any unnecessary injury or pain to the practitioners. This became known as “Karate-Do” and eventually evolved into the Sport Karate practiced today in which the primary aim is to score points, not injure or KO ones competitor. Traditional training which included hand-conditioning and breaking techniques (Tameshewari), weapons techniques (Kobudo), pressure point fighting (Kyusho Jitsu) etc., were abandoned in sport karate. Nevertheless, some masters continued to teach selected students the genuine combat art (Karate Jitsu).

I started practicing Karate-Do in the late 1960s and after more than a decade was appointed a National Instructor (coach), Referee and Judge. Many decades later the WMAO  (Mumbai Branch) promoted me to the rank of Kudan  (9th Dan) and the International Sokeship Society (ISS) awarded me the title of Grandmaster (Soke). Additionally, I was appointed Branch Instructor for Sri Lanka by the World Yudansha (Black-belt) organization. However, I soon became disillusioned with the limitations of Sport Karate and, largely influenced by my former student Michael Pereira (one time Western Australia MMA champion)  reverted to the more traditional, effective and “Hard” techniques of Combat Karate (Karate Jitsu). Combat karate involves full contact fighting and in doing so I have, over the decades, suffered the injuries common to the combat arts viz. broken right hand, burst eardrum, bloody nose, mouth and smashed rib cage. I accepted these injuries without complaint, as the old adage states that “You cannot make an omelette without breaking eggs”. Nevertheless, on 30th January 1996, I was injured by a terrorist bomb when my upper jaw was damaged and I received head injuries. I was warned by a student, who was a medical doctor, that given my injuries and my advanced age sparring could result in serious injury including brain damage or worse. So, in the late 1990s I ceased sparring. More than anything else I have been captivated by the “Iron Hand” techniques which, even at 84 years, I practice regularly. I also practice kata more intensively as, among other things, kata teaches the “hidden” techniques of body shifting (Tai Sabaki) and, at an advanced (Okuden) level, attacking vital spots or pressure points (Kyusho Jitsu) etc., which are not taught in Sport Karate.

However, I continue to teach sport karate (Karate-Do) to my junior students.

Finally, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to those great Senseis who enhanced my journey in the Martial Arts: D. W. Welgama, Tissa Gunaratne, Gary Phillips, Gamini Rupesinghe and many others. My gratitude to them knows no bounds. Finally, thanks to my former pupil Michael Pereira who taught me that a master can sometimes learn from his pupil.