Ramesh Budhial, a 22-year-old young surfer from Kovalam and a trainer at Shaka Surf Club in Kodi Bengre in Udupi, has set sights on the World Surf League and dreams of qualifying for Olympics.
Budihal was introduced to surfing at the age of 5 and was trained by Jelle Rigole from Bruges, Belgium who is a surfer and a mentor. Though he hails from Karnataka, his parents run a beachside shop selling handicrafts and clothes in Kovalam. “With better training and international exposure, I want to compete at the highest level,” Ramesh told DH.
“I saw my friend Krishna surfing on the Kovalam beach and was attracted towards it. Krishna, on witnessing my keen interest in the sport of surfing, introduced me to his Guru Jelle Rigole, who trained me for many years," he said. Ramesh said initially his parents did not support as they wanted me to concentrate on studies.
"When I began winning prizes at various events, they began supporting me,” he recollected with a smile. “Surfing is my life and I cannot think of anything outside water," stressed Budihal and added that he did not want to continue what his parents were doing for a living. “I wanted something different and surfing became a part of my life," he revealed.
When he began surging, he never thought that he would scale such great heights in surfing, he confessed. Budihal today can do most of the challenging manoeuvres with ease and is ranked in sixth position in Asia. It was Sebastian Indian Social Projects (SISP), an NGO, that got Budihal enrolled at their school.
The school besides academics also focusses on teaching surfing and skateboarding. “When I started surfing, I did not have any idea about the benefits of the sport. I just began surfing for the pure love of it,” he stressed. Now, he has established himself as one of the best surfers in the country.
“I shuttle between Shaka Surf Club in Udupi and Kovalam Surf Club depending on the season. I hope to put India on the world map by winning international competitions,” he added.