Teens ride the surfing wave in India as the country gears up for a historic appearance at the 2026 Asian Games

With Asian Games spots up for grabs, now is the perfect chance for these young daredevils to announce India into the surfing community.

Irish surfer and Red Bull athlete Conor Maguire speaks to budding surfers during his mentorship session called “Under My Wiiings” at the Big Air Flo 2024 festival. | Photo Credit: Sivasankar A/Sportstar

The crashing of waves on the scenic shores of Kovalam produces an intimidating sight for anyone unfamiliar with the ebb and flow of mother nature. But for a handful of youngsters, this provides the perfect opportunity to run head-first into the waters, while clutching surfboards in their hands.

In a few minutes, one will notice them gliding across the water’s surface, chased by the waves close on their heels. After mastering the tide for some seconds, the surfers succumb to the sea before emerging to do it all over again.

The sea has always been a part of 15-year-old Kamali Moorthy’s life. | Photo Credit: Sivasankar A/Sportstar

For 15-year-old Kamali Moorthy, who hails from a small fishing village in Mamallapuram, the sea has always been a part of her life.

“My uncle is a surf instructor and when I was really young I asked him to take me surfing. At that time I just wanted to do it for fun but then when I was six years old I decided that I wanted to do this professionally,” Kamali told Sportstar, on the sidelines of the Big Air Flo 2024 surf festival, conducted in collaboration with Red Bull at Surf Turf in Kovalam.

In August 2024, Kamali was a member of the Indian team that took part in the Asian Surfing Championships in Thulusdhoo, Maldives. In a major boost for the sport, the team secured a historic first-ever quota in surfing for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, after they accumulated the required ranking points for qualification through the competition. With eight surfers participating across four categories, the team won a spot each for men and women.

“I was initially very nervous because of the conditions there (Maldives) with the sea urchins and coral reefs. Then I kept telling myself that it’s going to be alright and I just had to surf the way I know. In 2-3 days I was all right,” she said.

“Looking at the other competitors, I got to know about the level of those outside India and how they prepare for bigger competitions,” Kamali added.

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Kamali was also part of the quartet that brought back a silver medal in the Maruhaba Cup, which is a team event at the Championship.

Kishore Kumar is another bright prospect who notched up rankings points, which eventually secured India a spot in the Asiad. In Maldives, the 16-year-old became the first Indian to reach the semifinal stage in the U-18 category and quarterfinal of the Men’s Open category.

Kishore Kumar became the first Indian to reach the semifinal stage in the U-18 category and quarterfinal of the Men’s Open category at the Asian Surfing Championships. | Photo Credit: Sivasankar A/Sportstar

He emphasised the importance of surfing in different conditions to attain success on the international level. “Apart from the weekly practice sessions and fitness exercises, the coaches have taken us to places like Bali in Indonesia where we have surfed in bigger waves, which in turn has prepared us for international competitions,” Kishore said.

Tackling the choppy waters

Beginning as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program by TT Group in 2012 for the sea-faring community in Kovalam, the Surfing Federation of India has evolved into the National Governing Body of the sport in the country. Starting with hosting festivals to bring attention to the sport, to conducting national competitions over time, the SFI has played a crucial role in promoting surfing in the country.

From Rajodi Beach in Maharashtra right down to the cliffs of Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram, there are 21 accredited surf schools in the country today.

“In 10 years, the sport has significantly grown. Getting an Asian Games slot is a big achievement for a young sport,” Arun Vasu, president of the SFI said.

According to him, the federation is trying to take inspiration from Japan’s model of identifying potential surfers from a young age and making sure they start peaking and dominating the sport during their teenage years.

“I think we have the talent. The Asian Games is the first step. We need an Asian champion from India, who can go on to compete in the World Surfing Games and so on,” Arun said.

A surfing and watersport enthusiast himself, Arun stressed the need for more individuals to come forward and take an interest in the sport. “We still struggle to get women surfers to come forward,” he said.

For context, out of the eight surfers who were part of the team that went to the Asian Surfing Championship, Kamali was the lone participant in the women’s competition.

What it takes to tame the waters

Irish surfer and Red Bull athlete Conor Maguire said that the key to getting better at surfing lies in doing it over and over again.

“Anything in life is daunting at first. Step by step, once you drop into a wave that you are not entirely comfortable with, it is the best feeling ever,” Conor told Sportstar on the sidelines of his mentorship session called “Under My Wiiings” during the Big Air Flo 2024 festival.

“Even if you fall, you learn that you can do it the next time. So, that’s a really cool way to do it,” he added.

Moreover, as an athlete who has been surfing for almost two decades now, Conor underlined the importance of proper nutrition and fitness levels required to hold up with the constant waves.

According to Indian surfing team coach Samai Reboul, safety was a major concern when the youngsters made their appearance at the championship in August.

“The physical preparation was very important. We focused on fitness for a full month just so that I could be sure of how much these kids could handle. Balancing on the board is one thing, but being smashed by waves over and over again is a whole other task,” Samai said.

However, he expressed his optimism about the future of the sport in the country.

“I would say that we almost have a better support system for surfing than many other countries due to the smaller size. At present, with each athlete getting individual attention, I believe that we have to push with whatever we have and hope for the best,” said Samai.

With the Asian Games spots up for grabs, now is the perfect chance for these young daredevils to announce India into the surfing community. With each wave presenting new opportunities, it remains to be seen how youngsters like Kamali, Kishore and many more, fare against the rising tides and pressures of a professional sport.