Shihan Shah got his first taste of Kyokushin at the age of 14 while he was living in Iran, where his father was posted as a diplomat. The family later moved to Singapore, where he again started training Kyokushin under Shihan Peter Chong.
In 1991, at the tender age of 31, he started yet again, for the third time, under the then Sensei Doug Turnbull, and finally got his black belt in 1996, 23 years after he first started, and he has been training in Kyokushin karate continuously ever since.
He started teaching Kyokushin karate in 1995 at Newtown North Public School while still a brown belt. He is now the chief instructor for Kuro Obi Martial Arts, and personally teaches most of the classes.
In September 2015, he received his 5th Dan black belt from Hanshi Steve Arneil, under the auspices of the International Federation of Karate.
In October 2025, he was awarded his 6th Dan black belt from Shihan David Pickthall, President of the International Federation of Karate.
Since 2017 he has been the President of IFK Australia Inc, and has been working hard toward the promotion and development of the organisation.
Included among Shihan Shah's achievements and qualifications are:
- 4th place 1993 NSW AKKA Full Contact Championships
- 2001 Attending the First Ever IFK Black Belt Camp in Switzerland
- 2004 Attending the 2nd IFK Black Belt Camp in Switzerland
- 2006 Coach and judge at the 1st IFK World Junior Championships in Switzerland
- 2011 Judge and Referee at the 3rd IFK World Junior Championships in the UK
- 2014 Judged at the IFK Kata World Tournament in Belgium and received IFK International Kata Judging certification
- 2016 Attending the 3rd IFK Black Belt Camp in Holland
- 2024 Judge at the IFK World Kata Tournament, UK
- 2024 Judge at the British Open Tournament, UK
- Accredited International IFK Clicker Referee and Full Contact Judge
- IFK Australia Chief Contact, Clicker, and Kata referee and judge
- IFK Australia Secretary 1999 - present
- IFK Australia President 2017 - present
- IFK Australia Tournament Coordinator for more than 10 years
- Australian Country Representative for the IFK (2004-2015, 2017-present)
- Level A International Referee for the World Martial Arts Championships.
- International Tournament Director for World Martial Arts Championships.