Kamali Moorthy wins Women’s Open and U-18 Female crowns; Kishore Kumar takes Men’s Open title

Mangaluru: Tamil Nadu’s teenage surfer Kamali Moorthy, who secured India’s surfing quota for the upcoming Asian Games, completed a remarkable double by winning both the Women’s Open and Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls titles at the finals of the seventh NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026.

Another promising surfer from Tamil Nadu, Kishore Kumar, was crowned champion in the Men’s Open category, while local favourite Pradeep Pujar secured Karnataka’s only title of the championship by winning the Surfing Juniors U-18 Boys title.

Harish P and Dhamayanthi Sriram also emerged victorious in the newly introduced U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms) categories respectively.

Following the conclusion of the championship, selections for the Indian surfing team for Aichi-Nagoya 2026 will be determined based on results from the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026, the inaugural Andaman Little Pro 2026, coaching camps, performances at international events, and overall rankings.

Kamali Moorthy successfully defended her title with a sensational comeback performance, clinching the top spot in the Women’s Open category with a score of 13.17. Sugar Shanti Banarse finished a close second with 11.73, while Shrishti Selvam finished third with a score of 8.50.

Teenage sensation Kishore Kumar of Tamil Nadu lived up to expectations by winning the Men’s Open category crown with a score of 15.20. In a fiercely contested final, he finished ahead of Ramesh Budihal (12.87), Sivaraj Babu (11.90) and Srikanth D (9.93).

After clinching the Men’s Open title, Kishore Kumar said, “Winning the Men's Open title at such an important championship is a very special feeling. With the Asian Games on the horizon, I look forward to the team selection process and will stay focused on representing India to the best of my ability."

The home crowd had plenty to cheer about as local favourite Pradeep Pujar produced a brilliant display to capture the Surfing Juniors 18 & Under Male crown and secure the host state's only title of the championship. His penultimate wave, packed with radical manoeuvres and executed with confidence, proved to be the defining moment of the final as he strengthened his lead and finished with a winning score of 12.17. Tamil Nadu’s Tayin Arun mounted a strong challenge throughout the heat and claimed the second spot with 11.26 points, while Prahlad Sriram secured the third place with a score of 9.50.

Pradeep Pujar said, “Winning my first national championship title, especially in front of my home crowd, is an incredible feeling and a moment I will always cherish. The competition was very tough, and all the finalists pushed each other to perform at their best."

Kamali Moorthy completed a championship double with a commanding victory in the Surfing Juniors U-18 Girls final. Karnataka’s Saanvi Hegde delighted the home crowd by taking second spot with 5.67 points, while Aadya Singh finished third with a score of 2.73.

Kamali after completing her double said, “I'm thrilled to have won both the Women's Open and U-18 Girls titles at the NMPA Indian Open of Surfing 2026. With the Asian Games selection process approaching, I'm excited for what's ahead and will continue working hard to earn my place in Team India.”

The newly introduced Surfing Juniors U-14 Boys (Groms) and U-14 Girls (Groms) categories showcased India’s emerging surfing talent. In the boys’ division, Harish P dominated the final with 17.23 points, finishing comfortably ahead of Sheik Davudh S (12.97) and Prahlad Sriram (8.40). In the girls’ division, Dhamayanthi Sriram delivered a composed performance to claim the top spot with 10.50 points, followed by Arabolu Nethra (8.13) and Sanvita Kundar (5.54).