Hyderabad: When the Yacht Club of Hyderabad started in 2009 it was the dream of the founder and coach Suheim Sheikh to have children from amongst the marginalized and neglected to access sporting challenges through Sailing and use the lessons and experiences to stand on their own feet in a profession of their choice.
That circle of life was concluded today as news of the Army and Navy selections surfaced with three sailors between 11 and 15 of age were selected for recruitment. These three are: Santosh Banoth and Chakali Karthik by the Navy and John Yeroulu by Army.
These boys will join the Sailing teams of the Navy and Army in July and thereafter qualify for direct entry to the forces after they finish with their education at a Kendriya Vidyalaya near the training centres at Bangalore and Goa at Naval Boy Sports School at INS Mandovi and Army Boys Sports School in Bangalore.
According to Binod Kumar, Master Chief Pety Officer (MCPO), the Chief Coach of Navy, our target is to select 20 young sailors by next year. The youngsters come from underprivileged backgrounds. And study at the schools set up by the Telangana Government to serve the poorest
“Sometimes, professions choose people rather than the other way around and I would have scarcely believed it a few years ago that our academy would produce sportspersons of international caliber and some of them would be selected by the armed forces to join their training programs” said Suheim , himself an achieved sailor from Hyderabad.
‘This was like a bolt from the blue for our children and we least expected such a spectacular impact on their lives in such a short time. I must congratulate their coach and mentor Suheim Sheikh for taking these kids from not knowing a thing about sailing to building a career for themselves”, said the Navy Coach.(NSS)
