There is something about the ocean salt. It clings to the skin long after you leave the water. It settles into the lines of your palm, onto your clothes, and gets etched into your memory. And for those who grow up by the sea, the salt shapes their spirit and spine.
For A Sathish Kumar, a fisherman who spends most of his waking hours by the Marina beach, salt has been his anchor and compass. It pulled him into the ocean with a board nearly 20 years ago. It invited him to national championships. It carried him across continents as India’s first representative at the World Championships and the World Cup. And in November 2025, it carried him all the way to Hong Kong. Here, he completed the Standup Paddling (SUP) International Technical Official examination at the 2025 ACC SUP Asian Championships. After acing it, he is now recognised as an International Technical Official in Standup Paddling by the International Canoe Federation (ICF).
Even two weeks after the win, his smile exudes a mix of pride and gratitude. “I can now officiate at the World Championship, World Cup, all international events, including the Olympics,” he says. To reach this milestone, a story lies behind the scenes; one of grit, improvisation, and gathering knowledge. Like the waves hungry for the shore, he was aching to learn and achieve.
Sathish learned the sport’s rules on racing grounds around the world. “Wherever I went, I learnt the rules and regulations,” he shares. His years of practice, dedication, and winning medals brought him here. The Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association recommended Sathish for the role. Parallely, he was also under the radar of ICF for his achievements.
The test
With the skills and knowledge he acquired, Sathish appeared for two theoretical papers on reaching Hong Kong. It covered the various nations’ national and international laws and regulations. He scored 100 and 92 in the theory papers, which required 80 marks for clearance. This was followed by practical sessions for two days, and on the final day, he appeared for what he calls “a viva of sorts”. “Just like how in the IAS exam, you are asked a single question in three different ways and each of your answers is required to be distinct...this viva was like that,” he says.
While language was not a hurdle, the accent was difficult to follow. Sathish quips, “The Chinese, Hungarian, or Hong Kong officials cut half the words. They speak English mixed with their native languages.” Similar to navigating swells in the ocean, Sathish got through the exam. He says, “India is slowly growing and winning medals on the world stage. I’m very happy and proud that I can represent my country on such a big platform. ”
This is one of the biggest wins for him, because, “Indians are usually neglected and are not given respect. We have to fight for our roles. So, we have to be fully prepared, otherwise a lot of stories are made up to reject us or not include us.”
He now eyes the Olympics. But before the dream of officiating could be fulfilled, the sport had to be included in the list of events held. Sathish hopes for SUP to be included in the 2028 Olympics, as it narrowly missed inclusion in 2024, losing the only available slot to surfing.
Waves of wins and wishes
Standup Paddling is the world’s fastest-growing water sport in terms of accessibility, low barriers, open to all ages, and thrilling without being intimidating. “You don’t need to know how to swim. You don’t need extreme fitness. You just need balance and have the willingness to try,” Sathish says.
Nationally, though, the sport has been an afterthought. “The government didn’t know about this sport,” he points out. It was only in 2023, after Sathish met the Sports Secretary of India and explained the game, that sufficient knowledge of the game was spread. He rues, “In India, only the popular sports will be pushed.”
Meanwhile, the state government has been encouraging the sport, but only when the participants win any medals. Tamil Nadu swept nearly 49 medals at a national competition held in 2023, securing the overall championship and cash awards that helped athletes buy their own equipment, which is the sport’s biggest hurdle.
Most Indian paddlers — majorly from the fishing communities — train on second-hand boards that Sathish brings back from competitions abroad. Through his club, SUP Marina, he trains 35 youngsters on donated and refurbished boards. “I started this to grow the sport. Otherwise, our children will be left behind. Excelling in the sport will help them secure higher education and jobs after, ” says the coach of the Indian SUP team.
The sea once took Sathish to the shores of many countries. He hopes the waves now take his students, too. The sea teaches you to balance first and respond later, but never to break or resist. “SUP is like this. You are in the ocean, and suddenly the wind changes, and so does the course. But the sport makes you courageous enough to face all the situations and come back to the shore as a strong person,” notes Sathish, who is trying for standup paddling to be included in Khelo India, university sports, school sports, and national games.
Some waters wash off. Some waters stay. And for Sathish, they didn’t let him stay put; it carried him to the world and continues to do so.