On a grey morning at Hyderabad’s Hussain Sagar, 13-year-old SK Rameeza Bhanu steadies her boat against the wind, her eyes fixed on a point far beyond the water. Just a few years ago, she was sleeping on platforms at the Necklace Road railway station, after running away from a life of abuse and forced begging. “I used to see boats from far away,” she says. “I never thought I would sit in one.” Today, she is a national sailing champion, with a gold and a silver medal.
Stories like Rameeza’s are at the heart of the Yacht Club of Hyderabad (YCH), founded by sailor and coach Suheim Sheikh, who has spent the last 15 years reimagining who gets access to sport and what it can do. “Hyderabad has a 150-year-old history of sailing. Hussain Sagar is right in the middle of the city,” Sheikh says. “I wanted to ensure that the common man gets a slice of it.”
When Sheikh started the club in 2009, it had just three boats and four children. Today, it works with over 150 young sailors, many from government schools, orphanages, and low-income families. The programme has produced 86 national champions, sent 157 sailors to international competitions across 20 countries, and brought home 28 international medals.
For the changemaker, the idea was never just about sport. He first used to go sailing with his brother in the late 70s, then went on to graduate from IIT Madras and built a successful corporate career. But the pull of sailing brought him back. “Doing something impactful is in my DNA,” he says. “I wanted to work with those who didn’t have access.”
At YCH, children are identified early and brought into a structured programme that goes far beyond training. The club supports school fees, connects children to residential schooling, and provides nutrition, equipment, and full-day coaching. They have also tied up with Udhbav School for after-school coaching for kids to ensure that academics do not take a backseat. “Sport is the anchor, but education is important,” Sheikh says. “You can’t build a future without both.”
It is this long-term, holistic intervention that has begun to show outcomes. At the Asian Championships, seven out of 10 Indian participants were from the club; at another one, three out of five. Yet, Sheikh insists, the numbers only tell part of the story. “The real change is in how these children see themselves now,” he says. “When they realise they are good at something, their confidence boosts.”
Kommaravelly Lahari, 12, was introduced to sailing in 2022 after her mother, Kavitha, took up work as a cook at the club. “At that time, getting even proper food was difficult,” Lahari says. “Sailing gave me something to focus on.” In just a few years, she has competed in 19 national championships, winning six gold, four silver, and three bronze medals, and represented India in Singapore, Malaysia, and Oman, earning two international silvers. She has also topped both Asian Games selection trials. “Every child is different,” Sheikh says. “You need patience. You need to understand their background, their pressures. This is not a short process.” Many children also find placement as sports teachers, physiotherapists, or yoga teachers.
Sheikh himself has changed over the years. “Definitely more patient,” he grins. As for children, who once hesitated to speak, they now argue about race tactics. Those who had never travelled beyond their neighbourhoods now speak of international competitions.