Bhopal: Paddlers from most states competing in last week’s National Kayaking and Canoeing Championship in Chhattisgarh secured podium finishes using boats crafted in a garage in Madhya Pradesh. Of the 24 states participating, athletes from 22 arrived in boats produced at this small workshop.
From Coach to Boat Builder
It all began on a routine training day in 2019, around the time COVID-19 arrived, leaving a trail of devastation globally. Mayank Thakur, a national-level canoeing and kayaking coach from Madhya Pradesh, noticed something deeper than fatigue in his trainees’ eyes—frustration and disillusionment. Their helpless gaze revealed a larger story of systemic apathy: paddlers were losing competitions not due to lack of skill, but because imported boats were far beyond their budgets.
“I simply could not stand idly by watching potential lose out to price tag,” Thakur recalled.
Driven by a conviction to be the change he wished to see in Indian water sports, Thakur moved from the shoreline to a workshop. Trading his stopwatch and whistle for tools and blueprints, he converted his modest Bhopal garage into a small manufacturing unit for affordable kayaks and canoes.
“We started with a simple goal—to make boats that athletes could afford,” the coach said. “Everything else just fell into place as we went along on this journey.”
Immediate Impact
The outcome was immediate and unmistakable. Locally produced boats, priced at a fraction of their imported counterparts, began appearing at training centers across the state.
“For the first time, I could afford my own kayak,” said Ankit Pachori, the first canoeist from Madhya Pradesh to represent India at the World Championship.
Coaches hailed the shift, noting that Indian paddlers now train more consistently, travel with their own equipment, and compete with newfound belief and confidence.
“Seeing paddlers who raced our boats on the podium was a truly emotional and rewarding moment,” Thakur said. “It proved that access to affordable boats, not talent, was the missing piece in Indian water sports.”
Leveling the Playing Field
Both athletes and officials credit the initiative with leveling the playing field. “Equipment costs have always been a major obstacle to chasing glory in water sports,” said Prashant Kushwaha, president of the International Canoe Federation (ICF). “We welcome more such initiatives that give paddlers access to affordable boats. This has altered the sport’s economics while giving our paddlers a more competitive edge.”
For athletes and their families, the change has been life-altering. “My parents used to worry about the expenses of these boats,” said Namita Chandel, a young paddler from Seoni. “Now, affordable boats mean I can practice every day, not just when one is available.”
Future Plans
Encouraged by the response, Thakur plans to scale up production and introduce new, improved designs based on paddler feedback, without compromising on price. His workshop has already begun training local youth in boat building, turning a solution into a small industry.
“This started as a coach’s response to frustration in the eyes of his charges. Now it’s about fueling dreams—one affordable boat at a time,” the coach concluded.
