Madras Week | Surfing capital Kovalam near Chennai welcomes its next generation of little surfers

The tide is high. Lean waves lap against the curved shoreline of Kovalam. P Harish, all of seven, has caught sight of a promising wave. He chases after it, and in a quick swerve, tames the to-be giant. His surfboard is easily twice his size.  

Not too far away, in an endearing show of fine sportsmanship, Saanvi Hegde takes her opponent Kamali Moorthy on a piggyback ride to the shore. The latter has injured her ankle. The little surfers — giants when it comes to balancing waves — giggle their way back after their final heat in the U-16 category at the Covelong Classic Surf Championship as constant check-ins from everyone around follow. Camaraderie over competition, any day. Here, on this shore, nothing beats community. 

Kovalam’s burgeoning surfing revolution made ample noise more than a decade ago. Boasting some of the best waves on the East Coast, making it a favoured destination in India for both local and international surfers alike, the beach and the fishing hamlet have gained ground as a sought-after destination for training and competition circuits.

“The conditions in Kovalam, Mamallapuram, leading up to Pondicherry on the East Coast beds have been consistent through the surf season starting in August. We get anywhere between 4ft to 8ft high waves, which are decent waves even in world standards. It sets a challenge,” says Arun Vasu, president of Surfing Federation of India (SFI), who also helms the TT Surf Development Programme aimed at spotlighting young surfers  

Today, the village situated 30-odd kilometres away from the city centre in Chengalpattu district, is home to 12 independent surf schools, not including the three in nearby Mamallapuram. 

(From left) Dhamayanthi, Kamali, Saanvi and Mahathi
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas

While surfers like S Moorthy, Dharani and Sekar are household names in the community, Kovalam is now steadily churning out young stars, possibly the next generation of surfers to emerge from the Coromandel Coast. At the recently concluded Mahabs Point Break Challenge, and Covelong Classic, it was evident that the next few years would be crucial for these young athletes as they navigate international competitions that catapult them on to the global stage. 

Fifteen-year-old Kamali, who has been surfing since the age of three, is already making waves. Daughter to a doting single mother, Suganthy who sold water bottles along the Shore Temple to raise her two children, Kamali picked up the sport from her uncle Santhosh Moorthy.

“The first time I went into the water, I loved it. When I started learning properly, it was just a lot of fun for me,” recalls the young surfer whose first brush with adventure sports was on skateboards.

Sixteen-year-old Kishore Kumar who grew up in the waters of Kovalam – his mother was an employee at Surf Turf, a surfing school and restaurant located on the beach – is another breakout star who has already surfed in Bali and Sri Lanka apart from beaches in the country. He says Dharani anna is the reason why he is the water for several hours in a day. 

Kamali is loyal to the waters in Mamallapuram where she initially started cruising. According to her, there is no beach that matches Mamallapuram; it is the best place to surf on the East Coast. But Kovalam is a close second.

“The waves stay for long, making for long rides” she says. Her brother, Harish, is a young man of few words. The seven-year-old who has been surfing for the last four years is often the youngest to compete in the Mens Open Category in Covelong Classic among 15 and 16-year-olds. After a particularly tough U-16 semi-final heat, he remains unfazed. What’s his favourite thing about Kovalam? “The waves!” he declares before darting away to prepare for the next heat. 

Sixteen-year-olds Tayin Arun and Kishore Kumar
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas

Compared to the West Coast, the conditions here are rough, says Saanvi from Mangalore. “The waves are bigger, and it’s easier to predict the conditions. In the West Coast, you would have to paddle a lot to go inside and catch a wave. Sometimes you can’t even hear the commentators to keep track of the points.” And so, the waters here, are very welcoming to beginners, says fourteen-year-old Mahathi Srinivasabharathi.

For eleven-year-old Salai Izmul Ahlam, surfing is all about facing one’s fears. She says, “Some people are not afraid of the sea, they are afraid of what’s in the sea. I am afraid of sharks and jellyfish myself!” Seven-year-old Dhamayanthi Sriram’s voracity to compete among fellow, senior surfers is hard to miss. Harder to miss is the little surfer’s excitement on spotting a jellyfish the previous day. “I have seen stingrays, eels and puffer fish on this shore,” adds Saanvi.   

It is evident that the next few years would be crucial for these young athletes who are now marking their presence in competitive circuits. More recently, Arun says that SFI has consciously shifted focus to children and women athletes.

“Tamil Nadu has predominantly been leading in surf development as well as creating national and international athletes. Our last few years’ focus has been on Groms, as we call it, which is the 16- and under category. And we have got some talented surfers starting from kids who are as young as 10 and 11,” says Arun adding that it is an exciting time for the sport considering Asian Surfing will make a presence for the first time in Asian Games 2026. 

Harish after a victorious heat
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas

To excel at an international level, exposure to different conditions and world class training is key. “We have been investing in coaches not just in India, but Bali and Maldives. We have been sending the teams out for training camps that sometimes last for a month,” At the time of writing this, an Indian contingent comprising entirely of Tamil Nadu surfers is on the way to Maldives’ Thulusdhoo island to take part in the ASF Asian Surfing Championships 2024.

Back on the beach, the little girls are big cheerleaders of each other. Kamali helps the camera-shy Dhamayanthi while Mahathi and Saanvi finish each other’s sentences. Tayin and Kishore retreat into the shadows together after a tough heat, while Prahlad and Harish exchange encouraging glances.

Once again, camaraderie proves to be the cornerstone of the surf revolution in Kovalam. 

A scene from the Covelong Classic Championship
| Photo Credit:
Johan Sathyadas