My name is Naresh Mangaraj. I am 22 years old and from Kalahandi, Odisha. I have just finished my graduation from Jayaprakash Sandhyadheeree College, Bhawanipatna.

In 2024, I joined the Odisha Yachting Association for water sports with the help of Dr. Sabir Bux. I am grateful to him for this opportunity. I embarked on a new journey with the Odisha Yachting Association to introduce a new sport in Odisha: kite surfing. I went to learn kite surfing at Aqua Outback in Tamil Nadu from May 7, 2024, to July 18, 2024, which was for two and a half months. After that, I returned to Odisha.

A few days later, I went back to Tamil Nadu for my first kiteboarding event. It was a ranking event held from August 25 to August 28, 2024, hosted by Aqua Outback and organized by Chennai Sailing Academy. It was my first kite surfing competition. The competition was very tough for me because all my opponents were professionals, and I was a beginner. After finishing the competition, I gained valuable experience, which I hope will be helpful for future events. I placed 6th, but I am still feeling happy and proud to represent Odisha.

A special thanks to the Odisha Yachting Association and Dr. Sabir Bux.