Kamali Moorthy ready to ride India’s first Asian Games surfing wave

• Kamali Moorthy, who turns 17 soon, will represent India alongside Goa’s Sugar Shanthi Banarse as surfing makes its Asian Games debut in Japan.

• Raised by single mother Suganthi in Mahabalipuram, Kamali was the subject of an acclaimed documentary that was nominated for a BAFTA and shortlisted for the Oscars.

• A string of national titles has taken Kamali to the international stage, with India’s Asian Games surfing campaign also offering a route to quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Kamali Moorthy's name may not immediately ring a bell among the 500-odd members of the Indian contingent travelling to Aichi-Nagoya in batches. But the surfer, who is only a few weeks shy of her 17th birthday, will be part of a small piece of history when she and teammate Sugar Shanthi Banarse of Goa make their Asian Games debut in Japan.

Kamali and Banarse will compete in the women's shortboard surfing event at Pacific Long Beach in Tahara, Aichi, from 25 September. Whatever the outcome for the relatively inexperienced pair, Kamali has already come a long way — not least because she and her single mother, Suganthi, became the subjects of an acclaimed documentary after challenging social stereotypes.

"I have worked so hard to reach this stage and now it’s time to believe in myself and enjoy every moment. No matter what happens, I’ll give everything I have and make our country proud," she told the SAI media.

Hailing from a fishing village in the coastal town of Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, Kamali was the focus of the 24-minute short film directed by London-based New Zealander Sasha Rainbow. The film followed the young surfer and her single mother as they challenged gender stereotypes, with surfing becoming a vehicle for Kamali's empowerment.

The film received strong reviews, was nominated in the short film category at the 2020 British Academy Film Awards and was shortlisted for the Oscars.

Without becoming overtly didactic, the documentary chronicled Suganthi's efforts to empower her daughter through surfing while also reflecting changing social attitudes among young Indians.

Kamali was only three when, inspired by her uncle and surfing instructor Santhosh Moorthy, she first stepped onto a surfboard. She soon overcame her fear of the water and began making her mark in competitions.

Her breakthrough came in 2023, when she won both the Women's Open and U-16 Girls titles at the Indian Open of Surfing. She followed that with the 2024 national surfing championship and successfully defended both her Women's Open and U-16 titles at the 2025 Indian Open of Surfing.

This year, Kamali added to her list of titles, winning the Women's Open at the Little Andaman Pro and gold in both the Women's Open and U-18 Girls categories at the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing.

She made her international debut at the 2024 Asian Surfing Championships in the Maldives, where her performance contributed to India's qualification for surfing at the Asian Games.

"I am so excited for this journey. Endless training, sacrifices, challenges and countless hours of practice has made this Asian Games possible. Every drop of sweat and every difficult day was worth it. I’m truly happy, proud and grateful for how far we’ve come. This is just the beginning, and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got," said Kamali.

India is not among Asia's strongest surfing nations. Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines are among the leading countries in the sport. But the Indians will have more than a debut to fight for, with the Asian Games offering quota places for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.