Watersports Festival-2025 kicked off at Ariyaman beach in Rameswaram on Friday. The three-day festival has been organised by Tamil Nadu Tourism in association with Surfing Federation of India.
The festival was inaugurated by Captain Arjun Menon, Commanding Officer, INS Parundu, Divyanshu Nigam, Additional Collector and Project Director, DRDA, Ramanathapuram, and Commander Ankur Sehgal, Executive Officer, INS Parundu.
The Palkbay SUP Challenge 2025, India’s National Stand Up Paddle (SUP) Championship series, saw more than 200 registered participants taking part. Competitors from more than nine States are set to race across SUP sprint, distance, and technical categories, alongside surf ski kayak races and beach flag sprint events.
“This festival is much more than a competition, it showcases Tamil Nadu’s commitment to promoting adventure and water-based tourism, while also creating opportunities for our youth,” said Arun Vasu, president, Surfing Federation of India.
A special highlight of this year is the participation of first-generation paddlers from Pirappanvalasai village, who are competing at the national-level for the first time. Their debut marks a milestone in grassroots sports development in the Palk Bay region.
Published – October 04, 2025 06:15 pm IST
