NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026: A Landmark Championship for Indian Surfing
Three days of national-level competition, breakthrough performances from local athletes, and a strong step forward for the future of surfing on India’s west coast.
From 29 to 31 May 2026, Blue Bay Eco Beach in Thannirbavi, Mangaluru, became the centre of Indian competitive surfing as the seventh edition of the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing brought together leading surfers, emerging junior athletes, officials, coaches, partners, and members of the coastal community.
Held as part of the National Surfing Championship Series 2026, the event featured competition across senior, junior, and grom categories. Surfers from different parts of India competed through opening rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals over three days of national-level competition.
The championship was organized by the Surfing Swami Foundation and Mantra Surf Club, under the aegis of the Surfing Federation of India, with the support of government departments, sporting bodies, sponsors, venue partners, surf schools, volunteers, and the wider surfing community.
The NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 was more than a competition. It was a reflection of how far Indian surfing has come and how strongly the west coast is beginning to shape its future.
Event at a Glance
Event: NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026
Edition: Seventh Edition
Dates: 29 to 31 May 2026
Venue: Blue Bay Eco Beach, Thannirbavi, Mangaluru
Competition: National Surfing Championship Series 2026
Organized by: Surfing Swami Foundation and Mantra Surf Club
Under the aegis of: Surfing Federation of India
The championship was held at Blue Bay Eco Beach, Thannirbavi, a Blue Flag-certified beach preserved with care by NorthernSky Properties, Mangaluru.
The venue provided a strong natural setting for the championship and brought together athletes, spectators, organizers, officials, and the coastal community in one shared space.
Three Days of National-Level Competition
Day 1: The Championship Begins
The opening day began with surfers entering the water for the first rounds across the competition categories.
The field included experienced national athletes, promising junior surfers, and younger competitors taking part in one of India’s most important surfing championships.
The Men’s Open and Women’s Open divisions began with closely contested heats, while the junior and grom categories offered an early look at the next generation of Indian surfing talent.
Athletes from different coastal regions brought varied styles, technical approaches, and levels of competition experience into the water.
The first day set the tone for the championship and showed the growing depth of India’s competitive surfing field.
Day 2: Quarterfinals and Semifinals
The second day brought a sharper competitive edge as the championship progressed into the quarterfinals and semifinals.
With places in the finals at stake, surfers had to combine wave selection, technical ability, strategy, and composure.
Experienced athletes demonstrated strong heat management, while younger competitors showed confidence and the ability to challenge some of the country’s leading surfers.
The level of surfing continued to improve through the day, with more focused performances, stronger turns, and better tactical decision-making from the athletes.
The semifinals helped shape the final-day line-up and created strong anticipation for the championship rounds.
Day 3: Finals and Closing Ceremony
The final day brought together the strongest-performing surfers from the earlier rounds.
The finals featured high-energy competition across the senior, junior, and grom divisions. Each heat reflected the increasing depth and competitiveness of Indian surfing.
Established athletes continued to perform at a high level, while younger surfers showed that the future of the sport is developing rapidly.
The championship concluded with a closing ceremony attended by athletes, officials, government representatives, sporting bodies, sponsors, organizers, and members of the surfing community.
Trophies were presented to the winners, bringing three days of competition to a memorable close.
The final day delivered a clear message: Indian surfing is growing, and Mangaluru is becoming one of the strongest centres of that growth.
Full Results: Top Three Across All Categories
Men’s Open
- Kishore Kumar — 15.20
- Ramesh Budihal — 12.87
- Sivaraj Babu — 11.90
Women’s Open
- Kamali Moorthy — 13.17
- Sugar Shanti Banarse — 11.73
- Shrishti Selvam — 8.50
Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys
- Pradeep Pujar — 12.17
- Tayin Arun — 11.26
- Prahlad Sriram — 9.50
Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls
- Kamali Moorthy — 14.83
- Saanvi Hegde — 5.67
- Aadya Singh — 2.73
Surfing Juniors U-14 Boys
- Harish P — 17.23
- Sheikh Davudh S — 12.97
- Prahlad Sriram — 8.40
Surfing Juniors U-14 Girls
- Dhamayanthi Sriram — 10.50
- Arabolu Nethra — 8.13
- Sanvita Kundar — 5.54
Kamali Moorthy emerged as the most successful athlete of the championship, winning both the Women’s Open and Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls divisions. Prahlad Sriram also secured podium finishes in two categories, placing third in both the U-18 Boys and U-14 Boys divisions.
A Breakthrough Championship for the West Coast
One of the most important outcomes of the 2026 championship was the growing participation and success of surfers from Mangaluru and the surrounding west coast.
For several years, the region’s surf community has been developing through grassroots training, local surf schools, junior programs, regular competitions, and the long-term work of organizations such as the Surfing Swami Foundation and Mantra Surf Club.
At this year’s Indian Open of Surfing, that progress became clearly visible.
Local surfers were not present only to gain experience. They competed strongly against some of the country’s best athletes, reached national finals, earned podium finishes, and demonstrated that coastal Karnataka is now producing serious competitive talent.
The performances of Pradeep Pujar, Saanvi Hegde, Aadya Singh, and Sanvita Kundar became some of the most important stories of the championship.
Pradeep Pujar Creates History
Pradeep Pujar won the Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys title with a score of 12.17, giving Karnataka its only championship title of the event.
Competing in front of his home crowd, Pradeep displayed confidence, composure, and strong heat strategy throughout the final.
His victory marked an important moment for the surfing community of Mangaluru and the west coast.
“Winning my first national championship title, especially in front of my home crowd, is an incredible feeling and a moment I will always cherish. The competition was very tough, and all the finalists pushed each other to perform at their best.”
Pradeep also thanked his coach, the Surfing Swami Foundation, his family, and everyone who supported him through his journey.
His achievement represents more than a championship result.
For young surfers from Mangaluru, Mulki, Sasihithlu, Thannirbavi, and nearby coastal communities, Pradeep’s journey shows that it is possible to progress from local training to national-level success.
Pradeep Pujar’s win was not only a personal milestone. It was a breakthrough moment for the entire west coast surf community.
Young Women Surfers Step onto the National Podium
The Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls category delivered two more important podium finishes for Karnataka.
Saanvi Hegde
Saanvi Hegde secured second place in the Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls category with a score of 5.67.
She finished behind Kamali Moorthy, one of India’s strongest young surfers.
Saanvi’s result highlighted the increasing strength of young female surfers from the west coast. Her podium finish was an important personal achievement and a significant moment for the visibility of girls’ surfing in Karnataka.
Aadya Singh
Aadya Singh finished third in the same category with a score of 2.73.
Having two Karnataka athletes on the podium in the U-18 Girls division showed that the region is developing a broader group of competitive young surfers.
Their performances demonstrated the impact of consistent training, competition exposure, coaching, and family support.
Sanvita Kundar
In the newly introduced Surfing Juniors U-14 Girls category, also known as the Groms division, Sanvita Kundar secured third place with a score of 5.54.
The U-14 division represents the future of Indian surfing.
Sanvita’s podium finish showed that young surfers from the west coast are beginning to compete confidently at the national level from an early age.
When young athletes receive the right training, mentorship, equipment, and competition opportunities, they develop confidence, discipline, ocean awareness, and a stronger sense of what is possible.
A Strong Podium Presence for Karnataka
The 2026 championship gave the local surfing community several major achievements to celebrate:
- Pradeep Pujar: First place, Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys
- Saanvi Hegde: Second place, Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls
- Aadya Singh: Third place, Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls
- Sanvita Kundar: Third place, Surfing Juniors U-14 Girls
These results showed that west coast surfers are no longer only gaining exposure at national championships.
They are now reaching finals, earning podium positions, and contributing directly to the competitive growth of Indian surfing.
Creating a Pathway for Young Surfers
For the Surfing Swami Foundation, the success of local athletes is connected to a larger mission.
The Foundation works to make surfing more accessible to coastal youth while creating pathways for talented athletes to progress.
This includes:
- Surf training and coaching
- Junior competitions
- Athlete development programs
- Access to surf equipment
- Travel and competition support
- Exposure to stronger surf conditions
- Opportunities to compete at regional and national levels
National championships such as the Indian Open of Surfing form an important part of this pathway.
They allow young athletes to compete in structured heats, understand professional judging systems, manage competition pressure, learn from experienced surfers, and measure their progress against a national field.
They also help families and coastal communities see surfing as a serious sport with real opportunities for growth.
The west coast is no longer only capable of hosting national surfing championships. It is beginning to produce athletes capable of winning them.
Growing Participation from Coastal Karnataka
The increased participation from Mangaluru, Mulki, Thannirbavi, Sasihithlu, and nearby coastal communities was one of the strongest signs of progress at the 2026 championship.
More local athletes entered the competition.
More families came to support young surfers.
More children had the opportunity to watch national-level athletes compete on their own coastline.
This is where the impact of the championship extends beyond results.
Events such as the Indian Open of Surfing help build confidence, discipline, ocean awareness, aspiration, and pride among coastal youth.
They also allow communities to see surfing as something connected to their own beaches, young people, and future.
Institutional and Partner Support
The NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 was made possible through the combined support of government departments, sporting institutions, sponsors, organizers, venue partners, surf schools, and the local community.
New Mangalore Port Authority
The New Mangalore Port Authority supported the championship as the Title Sponsor.
NMPA’s association provided important institutional support and connected the event with Mangaluru’s identity as a major coastal and maritime city.
Its support also contributed to the larger vision of developing the region as a destination for ocean sports, adventure tourism, and coastal community participation.
Karnataka Tourism
The support of Karnataka Tourism helped connect the championship with the larger story of coastal Karnataka.
Mangaluru, Thannirbavi, Mulki, Sasihithlu, and the surrounding coastline are steadily gaining recognition among surfers, travellers, and adventure enthusiasts.
The event offered an opportunity to present the region as a destination for surfing, beach culture, adventure travel, and responsible coastal tourism.
Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports
The Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports supported the youth and athlete-development aspect of the championship.
Its involvement reinforced the importance of creating structured opportunities for young people in emerging sports such as surfing.
Surfing Federation of India
The Surfing Federation of India provided the national sporting framework for the championship.
Its role included technical standards, judging structure, competition credibility, and alignment with the larger competitive pathway for Indian surfing.
Karnataka Surfing Association
The Karnataka Surfing Association played an important role in supporting the regional development and execution of the event.
Karnataka has become one of the strongest surfing regions in the country, and the association helped connect the championship with the growing west coast surf ecosystem.
Blue Bay Eco Beach and NorthernSky Properties
Blue Bay Eco Beach, Thannirbavi, preserved with care by NorthernSky Properties, served as the venue for the championship.
The venue provided a clean, accessible, and well-managed beach environment for athletes, officials, spectators, and the event team.
The championship also received valuable support from Deconstruct, Cycle Pure Agarbathi, TT Group, Sai Palace, and other institutional and event partners.
Dignitaries and Sporting Leaders Support the Championship
The championship was inaugurated by Shri Darshan H. V., IAS, Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate, Dakshina Kannada, along with other dignitaries and representatives.
His presence reflected the growing recognition of surfing as an emerging sport with relevance to youth participation, tourism, and regional development.
The closing ceremony was attended by representatives from government departments, sporting bodies, event partners, and the surfing community.
Guests included:
- Shri Ramanath Rai, Former Minister, Government of Karnataka
- Dr. Y. Bharath Shetty, MLA, Mangalore North
- Shri Pradeep D’Souza, Deputy Director, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports
- Shri Dilip Kumar, Deputy Director, Department of Tourism
- Shri Arun Vasu, President, Surfing Federation of India
- Shri Dhananjay Shetty, Chairman, Surfing Swami Foundation
- Shri Rammohan Paranjape, President, Karnataka Surfing Association
- Ms. M. Athmika Amin, Executive Director, NorthernSky Properties and Blue Bay Eco Beach
Their presence highlighted the growing support for developing coastal Karnataka as an important centre for surfing, adventure sport, youth development, and tourism.
More Than a Three-Day Championship
The NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 was more than a national competition.
- It gave established athletes a serious platform to compete.
- It allowed emerging surfers to test themselves against a strong national field.
- It introduced younger athletes to the discipline and pressure of competitive surfing.
- It brought families, coaches, organizers, government bodies, and the coastal community together around the sport.
Most importantly, it showed local surfers that there is a pathway from grassroots training to national success.
For Mangaluru, the championship reinforced a growing identity built around surfing, adventure sport, youth development, responsible coastal culture, and tourism.
For the west coast surf community, the podium finishes of Pradeep Pujar, Saanvi Hegde, Aadya Singh, and Sanvita Kundar marked an important step forward.
For the Surfing Swami Foundation, the event strengthened its commitment to developing athletes, creating opportunities for coastal youth, promoting ocean awareness, and building a sustainable future for surfing in India.
Indian surfing is progressing, and Mangaluru is becoming one of the strongest centres of that growth.
With continued support, stronger training opportunities, access to equipment, competition exposure, and long-term investment in young athletes, the west coast can become one of the most important contributors to the future of Indian surfing.
Acknowledgements
The Surfing Swami Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to all government departments, sporting bodies, sponsors, partners, athletes, coaches, judges, officials, volunteers, surf schools, photographers, videographers, families, spectators, and members of the coastal community who helped make the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026 possible.
Every contribution played an important role, from organizing the championship and supporting the athletes to creating a safe, competitive, and memorable event.
The championship may have concluded, but the journey of Indian surfing continues.