Nilkonda Mani shines on opening day of Monsoon Regatta

Thirteen-year-old Nilkonda Mani stole the spotlight on the opening day of the 17th Monsoon Regatta National Ranking Sailing Championship at Hussain Sagar. Despite difficult wind conditions, the young sailor secured a commanding victory to take the early lead in the competition.

Hyderabad: The 17th Monsoon Regatta National Ranking Sailing Championship got off to a slow start on Tuesday as light winds and intense heat prevailed at Hussain Sagar Lake here.

Organised by the Telangana Sailing Association and hosted by The Yacht Club of Hyderabad, the Monsoon Regatta features four national junior classes of boats.

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These include the Under-15 Optimist Class, the Under-18 Laser, International 420 and the 29er Skiffs, apart from the beginners’ fleets of Half Rig sails and the Optimist Green Fleet.

Principal Race Officer Chandrashekhar Dalai struggled with the conditions to start the first race but capitalised on the early gusts of wind and managed to conduct only one race out of the three scheduled for the day.

The first race saw reigning national champion from Telangana and The Yacht Club of Hyderabad, Ravi Banneulu, bungle the start by crossing the line early and being disqualified alongside Rameeza Bhanu and Lokesh, both also from The Yacht Club of Hyderabad.

The highlight of the day was the spectacular performance of Nilkonda Mani, a 13-year-old sailor under the jurisdiction of the Telangana Child Welfare Committee and being trained at The Yacht Club of Hyderabad.

Nilkonda Mani, 13, of The Yacht Club of Hyderabad, finished first in the opening race by a huge margin of almost two minutes in a 30-minute contest held in the tricky and unpredictable winds of Hussain Sagar, conditions that test a sailor’s tactical awareness to the fullest.

Mani is currently ranked No. 5 in India and is rapidly moving towards the top spot after finishing fifth overall at the recently concluded National Championship in Bombay. If this race is any indication, he could emerge as the winner of the Monsoon Regatta.

At the age of five, Nilakonda Mani suffered a serious accident after falling from a building. The incident resulted in a severe ear injury, leaving him with a scar on his head and a partially severed ear. The accident had a significant impact on his early childhood and overall wellbeing.

Not one to give up on his son, Mani’s father, Nilkaona Madhu, a scrap collector living in Malkajgiri, is keen that Mani participates in all national championships while also focusing on his studies.

Nilakonda Mani belongs to a financially marginalised family originally from Bidar, Karnataka, which later settled in Hyderabad in search of livelihood opportunities.

In the girls’ category, Shrishti Singh of Secunderabad Club finished an impressive third overall and first among girls, ahead of both top seeds, compatriot Shringari Roy, the reigning girls national champion, and Telangana’s Rameeza Bhanu, ranked No. 2 in the country.

The afternoon races in the Under-18 classes were postponed, and the organisers are hoping that stronger monsoon winds will return on Wednesday after the disappointing lull.

Points tally after Day 1:

Boys Under-15 Sub-Junior Category

Club | Penalty Points

Nilkonda Mani (YCH) – 1

Vutla Narasimha (YCH) – 2

Konda Samanyu (YCH) – 3

Girls Under-15 Sub-Junior Category

Shrishti Singh (Secunderabad Club) – 4

Sakshi Kumari (YCH) – 8

Shringari Roy (Secunderabad Club) – 10