First Telangana State Open Sailing Regatta 2016, Hyderabad

Every sport has its first and it is matter of pride that the newly formed state of Telangana has taken the lead in having India's first State level sailing championship.

There is an effort to convert the sport into an inter-state rather than an inter club sport openingiaccess to the common citizen rather than to just the elite and privileged.

The Telangana Sailing Association now headed by Arjuna Awardee and the first circumnavigator from India Lt.Gen. KS Rao has taken the lead to drive the sport to the grass roots of the state in collaboration with the Yacht Club of Hyderabad.

"The focus has always been to build infrastructure and allow the common citizen to learn |D sail and this year we are proud to say that apart from the top sailors in the country more than 30 young sailors from the state will take part in the Telangana Open Regatta after many months of intensive training by the Yacht Club of Hyderabad under Chief Coach Suheim Sheikh completely free oncost." said Gen KS Rao

The TSA's primary task is to encourage the state to help spread the sport across every district of Telangana and pick the finest sailors from a large pool of talent.

Young sailors from the Social Welfare department of the Government of Telangana studying at f||| Shaikpet School under the jurisdiction of Praveen Kumar, IPS.

Kumar who was responsible for sending the youngest girl in the world, Poorna Malavath at age 14, to the summit of has now introduced water sports to the children under his jurisdiction in land locked Telangana - "Who knows, one day one of our kids from Telangana may attend a World Championship Olympics in Sailing.

We have faith in the coaching systems set up by the Telangana Sailing Association" said RS Praveen Kumar, IAS.

The Telangana Open will consist of a Sub Junior under 16 category to be sailed in the Asian Class Optimist Boat and the Junior and senior category to be sailed in the Olympic Class Laser boat.

The Hussain Sagar lake is full of young sailors practicing hard for the event that is to host both a large number local sailors as well as India's National Champion Chitresh Thata from Chennai and India number 11 Durga Prasad from Udbhav School at Rasoolpura who is the top sub junior sailor from Telangana.

Amongst the girls Juhi Desai of Telangana and Nithya Balachander of Tamilnadu are practicing hard for a gruelling 6 hours a day under the steadfast eyes of their coach.

9 young girls selected by Nanhi Kalis and supported by Naandi Foundation will be participating in the event for the first time. Two of those prominent amongst them are Mahboobie and Shyamla both from local government schools.