New Mangalore Port Authority: The Surfing Federation of India (SFI), the governing body for the sports of Surfing and Stand-Up Paddling in the country, has officially launched the fifth edition of the Indian Open of Surfing, a premier national surfing competition, here on Saturday. Scheduled to take place from May 31 to June 2 at the picturesque Sasihithlu Beach in Mangalore, the three-day event will be organised by the Surfing Swami Foundation and hosted by the local Mantra Surf Club under the aegis of SFI.
The 5th Indian Open of Surfing is all set to showcase the talent and skills of top Indian surfers which include the likes of Ramesh Budihal, Kishore Kumar, Harish M, Srikanth D, and Manikandan D, Kamali Moorthy, Srishthi Selvam, and Sandhya Arun, as they compete for top honours in four different categories (Men & Women’s Open and Groms U-16 Boys & Girls) in the three-day surfing extravaganza.
Among the dignitaries in whose presence the event was announced were the Vice President of the Federation Rammohan Paranjape, Mullai Muhilan, M.P, IAS, Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada; Dr. Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Authority; and Gaurav Hegde, Director of the Surfing Swami Foundation.
“We have eagerly awaited the moment to announce our partnership with the 5th Indian Open of Surfing. The opportunity to support surfing, one of the fastest-growing water sports both nationally and globally, is something we could not pass up.
“Surfing holds transformative potential for the region, positioning Mangalore as a premier destination for adventure enthusiasts. This, in turn, significantly boosts the local economy and empowers the local communities. We are proud to be part of an initiative that brings such multifaceted benefits to the region,” said, Dr. Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairman, and New Mangalore Port Authority.
“The Karnataka Government and Karnataka Tourism have been supporting surfing for a long time. This support encourages more people to visit beautiful places like Sasihithlu and explore what the state has to offer in terms of tourism development. I extend my best wishes to everyone involved in this year’s IOS for a fun and successful event”, said, Mullai Muhilan, M P, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Dakshina Kannada.
“We are pleased to officially launch the fifth Indian Open of Surfing, and I would like to express my gratitude to the New Mangalore Port Authority, Karnataka Tourism, Cycle Pure Agarbatti, and Explurger for their support of the event. We are excited to see the competition unfold and are committed to fostering the growth of surfing in India,” said Rammohan Paranjape, Vice President of the Surfing Federation of India.