Oleg Anatolievich Kuberlinov - President of Aikido Federation of Kalmykia, head of the "Mutokukai Kalmykia" martial arts club, Executive director of Kalmykia branch of the Russian Union of Martial Arts, 4rd Dan Aikido Aikikai, 4th Dan Aikijujutsu, 3rd Dan Jojutsu, 2nd Dan Kenjutsu, 1st Dan Tantojutsu.

Oleg Kuberlinov was born on May 04, 1962 in Elista, the Republic of Kalmykia.

In 1984 he graduated from the Kalmykia University majoring in philology, teaching of Russian language and literature. In 2006 he completed his education in the Modern Academy of Humanities in the field of jurisprudence. After graduation, he worked several years in secondary schools of Kalmykia as a teacher, then the deputy director. In the period from 1993 to 2006 he was engaged in non-governmental security enterprises – first as a guard and bodyguard, the deputy director of a private security enterprise and then as a head of the security service of the oil-production company. At present he is engaged as a trainer teaching aikido and jujutsu in the sports school "Urozhai" ("Harvest").

As the time went, his reasons changed: he realized that martial arts are the method of formation of a harmonized human being and the person’s moral and physical bringing up. In his opinion, the method most fitting for achievement of this goal is aikido, with its richest philosophic, moral and ethical grounds.

He got interested in martial arts in 1977, first in sambo (Russian system of weapon-free self-defense), from 1981 – Kyokushinkai karate.

First, the interest of Oleg Kuberlinov in martial arts was rather of the practical nature: he wanted to be strong and know how to fight to defend himself. As the time went, his reasons changed: he realized that martial arts are the method of formation of a harmonized human being and the person’s moral and physical bringing up. In his opinion, the method most fitting for achievement of this goal is aikido, with its richest philosophic, moral and ethical grounds.

He started his aikido studies in November of 1991. Since 2007 he is practiсing Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu; in April of 2009 he won the Russian championship among veterans in embu (techniques) and the second place in kumite (duel) and kobujutsu (techniques with weapons), whereas his two students won titles of champions and prize holders in Russian contests.

Oleg Kuberlinov is the head of the martial arts club Mutokukai Kalmykia, where there are trained now about fifty students of different age – from 6 to 75.

From March of 2008, Oleg Kuberlinov is the executive director of the Kalmykia branch of the Russian Union of Martial Arts (RUMA) and is coordinating the activities of all federations of martial arts united by the Kalmykia branch of RUMA. By results of the year 2008, the Kalmykia branch of Russian Union of Martial Arts was recognized as the best branch of this association.

Aikido in Kalmykia

The history of aikido in Kalmykia took its start in fall of 1991, the time when we, Oleg Kuberlinov and Vladimir Malmakov, were participating in seminars organized for beginners in the Leningrad club Takemusu Aiki.

In December of 1991 we founded in Elista the first aikido section permanently in action, where many young enthusiasts began their training – Viktor Malmakov, Vyacheslav Bassirov, Sanal Batyrev, Bela Konchiyeva, Yekaterina Ochirova, Igor Galat, Alexander Kaldinov, Yelena Yashayeva, Igor Nemgirov, Alexander Mukabenov, Sergey Nakhoshkin, Sergey Chi-zho-odo. In 1990s it was the united group of fervent devotees who did very much for propagation of ideas of aikido in Kalmykia.

We took part in various training seminars and were lucky to meet such well-known aikido masters as Stephane Benedetti, Tomita Takeji, Fujita Masatake, Yamada Yoshimitsu, Tamura Nobuyoshi, to train under their guidance and to assist them.

In addition, we met and made friends with Russian aikido masters who began to train in martial arts already in 60s – 70s years of the XX century – Vladislav Rukavishnikov, Sergey Kiselev, Alfat Makashev, Valery Skrylev, Vladimir Tagirov. Many of them visited us in Elista, conducted their aikido training sessions. We appreciate greatly their contribution into propagation of aikido in Kalmykia.

In 1992 there was founded the Aikido Federation of the Republic of Kalmykia; in the same year it joined the All-Style Aikido Federation of Russia, as well as the International Euro-Asian Aikido Federation.

In the year 1995 there happened a great event for us: at the "White Nights" festival in Saint-Petersburg we first met Stephane Benedetti, who became afterwards both our teacher and a close friend. From 1997, Stephane is holding seminars in Elista, where there are participating not only aikidoka‘s of the Southern Federal District, but also our friends and colleagues from other regions of Russia, as well as from Azerbaijan, Belorussia, Ukraine, Germany.