CHENNAI: With 70 medals, the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia was special for India. The country's nine-member sailing team didn't disappoint, with their three medals in Jakarta, including a silver medal by the women's 49er FX team.
With the 2023 edition of the continental event less than a month away, Captain Jitendra Dixit, joint secretary general of the Yachting Association of India, believes the 16-member contingent is more than capable of bettering India's previous result in the Asian Games.
"This is the first time we are representing in all the Asian Games classes which are being sailed. Previously, we used to participate in a few classes, but not all. This time, there are 14 gold medals at stake and we are fielding a team of 12, one of the largest (ever from India)," Dixit told this daily a day after India's squad left for China.
Even before sailors reach, their boats and other equipment have already arrived on the Chinese shores. As India will participate in 12 out of 14 events, their shipment is also massive. "We have sent three containers (of equipment) from India, two from Mumbai and one from Chennai. The equipment has already reached China. It will be all brand-new equipment used during the Asian Games. Once the team reaches China, they will receive it and they will set up for the Asian Games," he added.
One of the other features of the squad assembled in China is the unprecedented number of women sailors being part of it. Especially after their performance in the 2018 edition, where women brought home two of India's three medals — Varsha Gautham and Sweta Shervegar won the Silver medal in the women's 49er FX category, while Harshita Tomar bagged a bronze medal in mixed Laser 4.7 event. Dixit explains all the efforts YAI has put in behind the scenes.
"As a federation, we have been encouraging women sailing. For that, we have removed whatever obstacles can come in their participation. We have reduced the entry fee for all our domestic ranking events by 50%. For participation in a particular class (for a competition), there is a minimum criterion that there should be at least a minimum number of teams to participate.
But for women, that restriction is removed, even if one girl from a particular class finishes the race, she is given a gold medal on the podium. So we have done those things to have more women in sailing. That is how we have achieved the number (of participation), but we would like that number to go up."
Other than these efforts from the association, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has provided monetary aid for foreign training and competitions under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the four Olympians, including the 2018 Asian Games bronze medallists, Varun Thakkar and KC Ganapathy.
"We had three Asian game selection trials which we finished by February 1st. From April onwards, the European circuit started and from April to August, there were back-to-back events in Europe. We were fortunate that the government had approved the events we had proposed from April to August. If you want to gain experience, you have to go to Europe.
Those meets in Europe are very competitive, which gives our sailors good exposure," Dixit said, stressing the importance of funding from the government. From young amateur sailors to naval officers like Dixit, who learn it as a part of their training, sailing is a welcoming sport. Dixit hopes it grows leaps and bounds in India. A few more medals in the Asian Games could certainly help achieve that goal.