CHENNAI: Low tide, high tide and then there is Aishwarya Nedunchezhiyan. The 21-year-old from Tamil Nadu is the medal girl. The 2014 Asian Games bronze winner is gearing up for the 2018 edition to be held in Jakarta. She is pairing up with Ramya Saravanan.
Ramya is a Class XII student who hails from Mumbai. Being the experienced sailor, the onus is now on Aishwarya. Asked about her training for the upcoming Games, she said, “Ramya and I will start practising from March for the Asian Games selection trials to be held from April 16 in Chennai.”
Right now, she is doing something else. “I am coaching sailors from various states in a sailing programme as a part of Khelo India. It’s called ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’. It’s a wonderful feeling to teach the kids in this camp and I always loved teaching.”
Aishwarya’s journey into waters started after reading a newspaper article. “When I was 15, I read that (she doesn’t remember the name of the newspaper). I got inspired by it and started sailing in leisure. It was only in 2012 that I made sailing my profession. I participated in the nationals that year.”
Choose the lesser evil, say elders, but Aishwarya understood it the other way. She chose one of the toughest sports. She took risks and even had her shoulder dislocated once when she came out of the boat unconscious. But she has not backed out. “If what we want is greater than what we have achieved, we will never find it tough.”
The 2014 bronze medallist said that coach Ian Stuart Warren is her prominent support and the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association (TNSA) has enhanced her skills.
On financial conditions, the 21-year-old said, “I’m from a middle-class family and I don’t get paid for sailing. I have the elite scholarship (by Tamil Nadu government) opportunity in which the government has selected five sportspersons. I am amongst them. I get an annual scholarship of `25 lakh. I use it for all the expenses. My long term goal is to qualify for Olympics and to win a medal for India.”
nithin.k@newindianexpress.com