Cleaner's son sets sail overseas

Hyderabad: Hyderabad sailor Durga Prasad, 14, has been selected by the Yachting Association of India to represent India at the Asian Sailing Federation (ASAF) Youth Games at Ras El Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. This is the second time in 20 years that a sailor from Hyderabad has been selected by the Federation to participate at an international competition.

Durga Prasad’s mother is cleaner at a local automobile showroom and his father runs a small photocopier unit at Uppal. Staying at Rasoolpura they were sent by Udbhav School as part of a group to learn sailing in 2014 and in three years Durga is representing India after being ranked third in the country.

Durga will be leaving for the UAE on April 2 and it will be his first time on an airplane. “I am very proud to have my son represent India and I would like to thank the Yacht Club of Hyderabad and Suheim Sheikh for working hard to make this happen,” said Gat Lingam, Durga’s father in the presence of a proud and beaming mother. The Yacht Club of Hyderabad has five sailors in the National squad, another first for Hyderabad as the numbers of sailors practising at Hussainsagar has grown over the years.

“As coach to all these kids it makes me swell with pride to see them take to international waters and especially sailors like Durga Prasad who at 14 are representing the country under the banner of the National Federation,” said Suheim Sheikh the president and chief coach at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad.