Indian Open Of Surfing Aims for Paris 2024 With Powerful Corporate Support
For the fourth consecutive year, Karnataka Tourism has backed the 4th Edition of the Indian Open of Surfing, the premier surfing competition of the Surfing Federation of India. Cycle Pure Agarbathies and Jai Hind Group joined hands as principal partners. Several additional corporate entities have also pledged their support to the event, ensuring the growth of the sport in Karnataka as well as nationally.
Arjun Ranga, Managing Partner, NR Group & Managing Director, Cycle Pure Agarbathies commented on the support, commenting, “At Cycle Pure, our commitment to fostering the spirit of sportsmanship and providing hope to the youth, remains unchanged. We are excited to extend our support to the exhilarating world of surfing. This sport possesses incredible potential to invigorate tourism and also generate employment opportunities. Our continued support to Indian Open Surfing and the Karnataka Surfing Festival, serves as a clarion call to the surfer community, urging every one of them to be catalysts of change and champions for environmental conservation. We firmly believe in our responsibility to wholeheartedly contribute to initiatives aimed at preserving and restoring our precious ecosystems and fragile habitats. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in safeguarding our planet for future generations.”
Top Indian surfers such as Sanjaikumar S, Nithishvarun T, Surya P, Ruban D, Srikanth D, Sathish Sarvanan, and Manikandan Desappan will compete for top honours over the three-day league. The Mantra Surfing Club, Mangaluru, will host the event, which will take place from June 1 to June 3, 2023, at Panambur Beach in Mangaluru.
On being the principal partner, Divya Kumar Jain, MD, Jai Hind Group said, “India's extensive coastline remains a largely untapped resource, and it's high time we use this asset to promote a sport like surfing. The promotion of surfing isn't just beneficial for individual health, but it's also a way to empower local communities economically. From surf schools to equipment rentals, this sport can spur a range of local businesses, encouraging economic growth and infrastructure development in coastal areas.”
With intent set on Paris 2024, considering surfing will make its debut as a medal event, India has sent a four-member team to the ISA World Surfing Games 2023, El Salvador, which serves as a qualifying event for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The top four Indian surfers based on last year's rankings will compete for Olympic qualifications at the same time, whereas top surfers in India will compete in Mangalore for a spot on the India squad for other global events.
Ram Mohan Paranjpe, VP, Surfing Federation of India & Partner, Mantra Surf Club stated, “It's exciting to kickstart the new competitive surfing season in India. Indian Open of Surfing is the first of the four national series championships that have been planned by the Surfing Federation of India. Also being the host of Mantra Surf Club, I am looking forward to a great competition just before the onset of monsoons. What adds to this happiness of kicking off the Indian surfing season, is that this is the first year when big corporate houses have extended their support to the competition, establishing the growing popularity of the sport.”
To add to the sport's growing popularity in India, many corporate entities, including Rohan Corporation, Northern Sky by Novigo Solutions, Code Craft, Semnox, and TT Group, have joined forces with the Surfing Federation of India to provide long-term support to the premier surfing competition.
