Sensei Alexandru Dumitru (5th Dan) was born in 1957, and has been training in the martial arts since he was 15 years of age.

His first introduction was with Sensei Kamiloo, who was a student of geology at Ploiesti University, and was learning jiu jutsu and nunchaku. After this, his teacher was Sensei Constatinescu, who was from Campina. In 1977 Alexandru decided to join the Romanian army, where he continues to serve to this day.

Around 1978, however, he met Sensei Kawada. Sensei Kawada was a Japanese engineer who was working in Romania at that time, and was teaching Sankukai karate. This was at a time when the study of karate in Romania was outlawed by the State. This was due to the fact that the Communist regime believed that karate training could possibly lead to a revolution among its people. At dojo around the country, karate-ka had inspectors visit them. Whenever this happened they used to tell them that the only training that was taking place was judo, which was permissible.

From about 1979 to 1981 Alexandru continued his training in both jiu jutsu and Karate with Sensei Lazaroiu, who was an officer in the army. Unfortunately, Sensei Lazaroiu passed away in 1981 and so Alexandru looked for someone else in order to continue his martial arts studies.

Sensei Florin Patrascu had travelled to many countries, in Europe with his job in 1980, and had returned to Romania with the Shorin Ryu style of Karate. This was the introduction of the style to the country. Alexandru had known Sensei Patrascu as a friend and, after the death of his previous teacher, started in Shorin Ryu Karate in 1981.

These studies continued right up to late 1989 when, after the collapse of the Communist regime in Romania, Sensei Patrascu left the country to relocate and settle down in the USA. It was at this time that Alexandru started his own dojo, teaching Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu Karate. After the revolution in Romania, Karate became legal to practice and the Romania Martial Arts Federation was formed, with Alexandru as a founder member.

In 1992 the very first legal Karate competition was held, and was recognised by the Romanian Sports Ministry. This involved many different styles of Karate, including Shotokan, Goju Ryu, Shito Ryu, etc.

For the next 10 years or so, Alexandru continued as a member of FMK (Mondial Federation Karate), and taught many students (both civilians and within the army) and his students have, to date, won over 185 trophies in competitions.

In 1998, after many years of studying the nunchaku, he created two kata; Alex Nunchaku Sho and Alex Nunchaku Ni.

In 2001 Alexandru was 'surfing the web', looking for Shorinryu sites, when he came across a USKK(E) member site. Here he read about Sensei Patrick Beaumont (7th Dan - Matsubayashi Ryu, Beaumont-ha), who is the director of USKK in Europe, and was sufficiently interested in the group that he contacted Sensei Beaumont by e-mail. They continued to communicate for the remainder of the year, after which time Sensei Beaumont invited Alexandru to Dublin, Ireland, in March 2002 for the Annual USKK(E) Seminar/Tournament. Here they would have the chance to meet each other in person, along with Hanshi Phillip Koeppel (8th Dan), director of USKK.

Alexandru and a team of Romanian Karate-ka did, indeed, attend the event and between them they won 12 trophies in kata, kumite and kobudo. Furthermore, whilst they were in Ireland, Alexandru was invited to become the director for USKK(E) in Romania - a position that he holds with much honour.

Alexandru has recently returned from Peoria, USA, where he attended the 18th International USKK Championships. His student who accompanied him placed a very credible 3rd place in kata and 4th place in kobudo, and they had the opportunity to meet and train with Shihan Koeppel, Sensei Parker Shelton, and many other inspirational Sensei.

Within the Romanian branch of the USKK(E) there are currently 6 member dojo, 7 instructors and around 180 students, and it is Alexandru's wish that the USKK(E) expand to other styles and members both within his own country and also to other countries within Europe.

If you wish to contact Sensei Dumitru in Romania his email address is: alexandru.dumitru@uskke.org