Resilience combined with the transformative power of opportunity has helped several young sailors come out of the trap of poverty and depravity. Two such teenage girls are Suragani Eswa and Kommaravelly Lahari. Their stories are nothing short of a miracle as both of them have overcome hardships and have now set their sails towards the Asian Games 2026.
Suragani Eswa, a 14-year-old girl from rural Chilukuru village in Telangana and a student of Mahatma Jyothiba Phule Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Residential School (girls) in Matakondur, Yadadri–Bhuvanagiri District, represents the transformative power of opportunity combined with resilience. After losing her father to a tragic accident in 2017, Eswa’s family was left without emotional or financial security. Her mother, Madhavi, a daily wage labourer earning about ₹300 a day and a modest widow pension, made a courageous decision to place her children in residential welfare schools, ensuring education despite overwhelming hardship.
Today, Eswa is a disciplined and academically bright student in 9th class at the Mahatma Jyothiba Phule Telangana Backward Classes Welfare Residential School. Her life took a decisive turn in April 2025 when she was introduced to sailing through a structured training program supported by MJPTBCWR at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad. Initially hesitant, Eswa was encouraged by mentors and administrators to persevere, an intervention that proved life changing.
In less than nine months of training, Eswa delivered extraordinary results, including gold medals at both YAI Asian Games Selection Trials (2025 and 2026) in the 29er girls’ category. These victories placed her on the pathway to represent India at the Asian Games 2026.
Eswa’s journey powerfully demonstrates how institutional support, mentorship, and timely opportunity can unlock exceptional talent, turning a story of loss into one of national promise and inspiration.
Kommaravelly Lahari, a 15-year-old sailor from a marginalised family and a student at the Udbhav School in Rasoolpura, Secunderabad, is a powerful example of how resilience and opportunity can transform lives. Originally from Siddipet district, her family migrated to Hyderabad in search of survival. With her father unable to work due to prolonged ill health, the burden of supporting the family fell entirely on her mother, Kavitha, whose tireless efforts kept hope alive through years of hardship.
In 2022, at just 11 years old, Lahari was introduced to sailing, a moment that would redefine her future. Despite financial struggles, she demonstrated exceptional discipline, focus, and passion from the outset. Her talent translated rapidly into results. Lahari won gold medals at her first two national championships in 2022 and has since competed in 19 national events, earning six gold, four silver, and three bronze medals.
In 2024, an unfortunate accident forced her to miss her first international competition in the United Kingdom. Displaying remarkable mental strength, she recovered quickly and returned to international competition, winning a silver at Mussanah Race Week in Oman. To date, Lahari has represented India in five international championships and secured first place in both YAI Asian Games selection trials, placing her firmly on the pathway to the Asian Games 2026.
Balancing elite sport with academics, Lahari embodies determination, excellence, and national promise, proof that talent, when supported, can overcome even the greatest odds.
Both girls have been trained by their mentor and coach Suheim Sheikh, and the results are stupendous with Lahiri as skipper and Eswa as crew. After winning the selection trials, they are well on their way to represent India at the Asian Games 26 at Nagoya Japan provided they prove themselves during the prior international circuit at venues across the world.
“Lahiri is a veteran of sorts with many years of experience, but Eswa was the surprise package. The intensive training helped both of them get to the top of the selection trials,” said Suheim Sheikh, high performance director at The Yacht Club of Hyderabad. “I must thank Ganapathy Kelapanda, India’s top Skiff sailing Olympian who put them on this path to success,” he stated.
