11-08-2025
Behind surfer Ramesh's bronze, a tale of resillience
FROM not qualifying for last year's Asian surfing meet to making history as the first Indian surfer to win a medal in an Asian meet, Ramesh Budihal has risen out of deep waters. On the coast, the Kerala-man has navigated the toughest of waves. It was a tougher challenge. He lost his father last year, in addition to the disappointment of qualification.
On Sunday, Ramesh clinched bronze with a 12.60-point performance in the open men's final of the Asian Surfing Championship in Mahabalipuram. "My goal was to win gold. But I'm still proud to take the bronze. I am happy with the support from the team," he told this daily, a day after his performance.
It took Ramesh three years to come to this stage and achieve this feat. "If we get more opportunities, we can put ourselves into higher performances and more medals," he added. In a way, this tournament was his last-chance saloon, and his give-it-all performance has earned him India's first medal in surfing at the continental event.
