India's Ocean Pioneers: Who Introduced Surfing in India

We all know that Surfing is a spunky sport where we ride on moving waves toward the shore, usually on a board. As you know, the origin of Surfing can be traced back to pre-modern Hawaii and Polynesia, where the sport was enjoyed by men and women of all social classes, from royalty to commoners.

Surfing in India

But have you ever wondered who introduced Surfing in India? Or, do you want to know who the first person who tried surfing on the waves of Indian water is? They say:

Well, if you're an enthusiastic surfer or a beginner who wants to dive into surfing history, this post is for you!

The Beginnings Of Surfing In India

To begin with, the waters of India are already well-known for hosting a variety of adventurous sports such as Rafting, Kayaking, Sailing, Stream crossing, and many others. Surfing is one such emerging sport in India!

Surfing in India is booming, and there are multiple wonderful spots along the country's wide shoreline where you can catch a wave as well as learn to surf. But how and when did it begin in India? Here's a story of who introduced Surfing in India:

Surfing Swami

It was brought to India by Jack Hebner, an American known as the Surfing Swami, who arrived in 1976 on a spiritual quest and ended up founding the country's first surf school—Mantra Surf Club—near Mangaluru in 2004!

Swami was a youngster in the early 1960s and was one of the first-generation surfers in Jacksonville Beach, Florida! He was a part of Oceanside, North Florida's original surf club, back in the day.

He and his trainees, who were among the first-generation surfers in India, started to pioneer the sport in many unique ways after officially establishing the "Mantra Surf Club" in 2004.

In 2005, a detailed website with all the information and details for traveling surfers and places to stay was launched, paving the way for early surf tourism in the country.

Mantra Surf Club opened its doors in 2007 to anyone interested in learning to surf, becoming the country's first surf school. And that's how surfing came to India!

But is that it or did Surfing swami contribute in other ways as well?????

• Swami and his team uncovered world-class surf breaks and safer surf locations throughout India's subcontinent, leading to the world's recognition of India as a new surfing frontier.

• Mantra Surf Club collaborated with world-renowned surf filmmakers and surf magazines, putting India on the global surf map!

• Surfing Swami launched the "Surfing Swami Foundation" on his own in 2014, funding all of its events personally. As of 2020, the Surfing Swami Foundation is a well-established non-profit and non-sectarian organization dedicated to teaching surfing and environmental awareness to people of all castes, classes, genders, and ages.

Amazing isn't it? Well, now you know the story behind who introduced surfing in India right!!!!!!

Pioneers of Surfing in India

If you're a surfer or want to be one, you must be interested to know about some of the frontrunners in this arena!

Surfing Pioneers in India

1. Anil Ningappa

Anil Ningappa

Place: Karnataka

Anil Ningappa, a 7-year-old child prodigy, relocated to the coastal town of Mulki, Karnataka in 2014 seeking a better life. Despite his youthful appearance, he is a talented surfer.

Initially, Anil would sit on the beach watching kids from the Mantra Surf Club surf and dive in the ocean. When one of the club's instructors offered to let him try, he eagerly accepted and thus began his surfing journey.

Despite struggling on his first day of training, and falling off his board, Anil was undeterred and continued with his second session.

To everyone's surprise, he learned to surf before he could swim at the age of 7, showcasing his natural talent for riding waves.

2. Vellu Murugan

Vellu Murugan

Place: Tamil Nadu

Vellu Murugan, a 34-year-old fisherman from Auroville, Tamil Nadu, was once a mere spectator of surfing, but he eventually set his sights on participating in the sport.

To achieve his goal, he worked extra jobs at local guest houses to save up for a surfboard. In 2000, he stumbled upon a broken board near a toilet in one of the guest houses, which he repaired using his fishing tools and even improvised with a coconut rope as a leash.

His surfing skills and surfboard-making abilities led him to work with Temple Surfboards based in Mahabalipuram and start his own surf school, Aloha Surf School, in Goa.

When the waves are not favorable, Murugan turns to skateboard as a form of recreation. He lives alone, finding solace in his passion for sports and traveling. He hopes to continue pursuing his passion for the rest of his life.

3. Ishita Malaviya

Ishita Malaviya

Place: Karnataka

Ishita Malaviya was determined to become the first female surfer in India when she moved from Mumbai to a coastal town in Karnataka for higher studies in 2007.

Her journey to becoming a surfer was documented in India's first all-female surfing film, Beyond the Surface. She was surprised to learn that she could be the first female surfer in India but felt that it was a path chosen for her by the universe.

Through surfing, she found everything she was looking for in life and more. Ishita is the founder of the Shaka Surf Club located in Mangalore, on the western coast, about 1000 kilometers south of Mumbai.

Did you know 4-year-old "Joao Vitor" from Brazil is the Youngest Surfing Prodigy?

Bottom Line

Overall, India's landscape is blessed with a long coastline that stretches from west to east, with a lot of surfing schools. From November to March, the west coast states of Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala are ideal for beginners. And the months of June through August are ideal for visiting the east coast.

Moreover, now you know who introduced surfing in India and how as it's quite common that you should know about the thing you want to indulge in completely. Well can't we say:

Surfing was bought by a not-so-Indian guy in India.

But if you'll see today you'll find many Indians engaged in this leisure sport activity.

It's because surf-worthy waves hit the Indian coastline throughout the year!

To more about the surfing history of India, visit https://www.offbeatgeek.in/post/a-look-into-the-history-of-surfing-in-india.