Nidhin Das of Pulloorampara knows the Iruvazhinji river like the back of his hand. It was in this river that he learned to swim; he paddled a kayak for the first time and became the first Keralite to enter the super finals of the International White Water Kayaking championship in the Malabar River Festival. He finished in the seventh position.
This local lad was the hero at the concluding ceremony of the River Festival at Pulloorampara on Sunday. After all, he bagged the award for the Promising Indian Paddler at the event.
A diesel mechanical engineer by profession, Nidhin hails from an ordinary family in this hillside village of Kozhikode. His father Martin is a farmer, while mother Mini is a teacher in a private school. He was drawn to Kayaking after watching the initial editions of the Malabar River Festival and a chance meeting with Jacopo Nordera four years ago, the Italian paddler who founded the festival, turned around his life four years ago.
“I was initiated into Kayaking during one of the editions of MRF. I competed in the intermediate level in the next edition and has been a pro in the last two editions,” Nidhin said, joining his brother Nikhil Das, a graduate student, who took part in the MRF this season as an intermediate kayaker.
The non-availability of a kayak at his disposal has been a major hurdle for this young athlete who aims high in the field. “I got to practise only for three days on the kayak that the organisers lent to me for the fest. I need to practise on a regular basis if I am to participate in more championships,” he said.
Nidhin’s pleas for a kayak of his own did not go unheard. Pradeep Moorthy, executive council member of Adventure Tour Operators’ Asociation of India, was impressed by his talent and offered to sponsor 50% of the cost of the kayak. Add the prize money of his award, ₹20,000, and he is not too far from his dream.
Nidhin is a model for several youngsters in the locality who took to paddling after watching MRF. “Our children who earlier used to sit in the pavilion and watch professionals paddling have now started competing with them. This is a proud moment,” said T.T. Kurien, who founded the Malabar Sports Academy at Kodanchery where young kayakers are being trained.
