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About Instructor Santanu Rahman

Instructor Santanu Rahman has trained in the martial arts for over 20 years and has been teaching for over 10. He has trained extensively with and assisted for the Ng Family Chinese Martial Arts Association (Chicago, IL), and currently holds an instructor status (and continues training) with the Tatwong Kung-Fu Academy (San Francisco, CA).

Santanu’s teacher, Master Tat Mau Wong, is a 5 time Southeast Asian Full Contact Fighting Champion, has revolutionized Kung-Fu instruction in the United States and Brazil, and is highly regarded as one of the most prominent promoter of Chinese Martial Arts in the world today. Santanu strives to pass on the legacy of inspiration through Kung-Fu to his students, the way his teacher Master Tat Mau Wong did for him.

Along with his martial arts education, Santanu has a Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

He worked for many years as a radio host for community and commercial stations as a way to stay in touch with the community. He also is known for his professional work as an administrative advocate for the Asian Pacific American community at the University of Michigan and University of Illinois.

An endless funnel of creativity, Santanu has played guitar, sang, composed, recorded, and toured with rock bands. He also makes comics and short films with his friends as a way to relax.

Santanu does a lot of filming and video projects relating to martial arts, and has even published his own instructional book called Tai Chi Comics. He has also written articles for Qi – The Journal of Traditional Eastern Health and Fitness.

With his martial arts experience, his academic training, his community involvement, and his passion for the visual/audio arts, Santanu created Austin Kung-Fu Academy in March 2006 to consolidate his quirky background. His goal is to teach as many people as possible that you can increase your power in any medium by being relaxed.

Some videos of Santanu on News 8 Austin:


Here’s what his students have to say about his service:

Santanu is a teacher who displays great patiences and understanding. He is an extremely calm teacher.. I came to him, when no one would accept me as a student, due to my neuromuscular condition, at the age of 33. For a year, he worked with me in Tai Chi, allowing me to achieve balance and skill, that has not only helped me physicially, but mentally and spiritually as well. I will truly miss his instruction, and encouragement. He is a great benefit to all he teaches.

- Melissa Segerstrom

Santanu’s teaching skills are tremendous. Self-discipline, accountability and goal setting are taught in a manner that children understand. Aren’t these all things that we as adults find challenging? Santanu’s teaching style enables a better pathway for parent-child interaction through practice at home. This has truly led to Michael’s success. Michael has achieved his Gold Belt with a stripe. We are extremely proud of his accomplishments. Our son’s confidence and happiness shows. This is what is priceless.

- Laurie Christopher

Like many others, I had had a difficult time staying motivated and committed to an exercise program. I have found that kung fu works wonderfully for me in that it promotes strength, flexibility, balance, memory, and internal balance as well. Santanu is such a patient and very nice person, and knows his art so very well. He is also a student of teaching, and knows well how to keep us motivated, and to communicate in the most effective way to each student. Studying with him has made a major positive difference in my life and health.

- Mark Rubel

I have studied with Santanu for about eight years, taking every class he offered: Tai Chi, Choy Lay Fut Kung-Fu, and Cardio Kung-Fu. Working with him has been a wonderfully valuable experience: he’s not only a highly accomplished martial artist but a very gifted and dedicated teacher, carefully explaining each new move, patiently helping his students learn, and making the whole process a pleasure with his infectious enthusiasm.

- Peter Garrett