Nitin: Eyes on the Prize

“I want to be a National Champion. There is no other thought on my mind right now,” says 14-year-old K. Nitin Nayak. A student of the government-run MJPT School at Shamirpet, Nitin joined the Yacht Club of Hyderabad in 2018, when he was in grade 6. His father, Jabberlal (34) was an auto driver, before the pandemic-induced lockdown lost him his job, and he was forced to go back to his village in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana, and take up farming again. His mother is a housewife who got married at age 13. Nitin’s dad himself was only 19 at the time. The couple soon had a daughter, followed, a couple of years later, by Nitin. 

The parents were apprehensive about sending their only son to play what looked like a risky water sport. “I was scared at first, but then I spoke with other parents who had sent their kids here, and who talked highly of the place. I was assured that my son was in good hands,” says Jabberlal. Nitin says that his parents were still unsure of whether he would be able to make a future for himself through a sport, and wanted him to focus on his studies. “But I fought to come here. I said I will join, learn and become national champion,” says Nitin who is now a hair’s breadth away from fulfilling that promise at age 14.z

Those fears were dispelled when Nitin made it to the Army as a sailor this year. He is now due to join the academy in Bangalore on the 20th of June. When asked why he decided to try for the Army instead of the Navy, where most of his fellow YCH mates are headed, Nitin says, “I think the army has an edge over the navy when it comes to the extent of focus on sailing. I want to become the national champion, and I believe the Army is the place for me in order to achieve that goal.”

His coach Suheim Sheikh also has ample of confidence in Nitin’s ability to bag the coveted title come the Monsoon Regatta this year. Nitin has so far been to Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Goa, participating in National Regattas. His moment of glory came earlier this year when he landed the gold medal at the Telangana State Regatta. “It was hard at first when we went for the trials. Suheim sir insisted on the importance of building fitness and stamina, and I made sure to work hard on that. It paid off. I found the trials quite easy thanks to the training I had been receiving,” Nitin reminisces. 

Jabberlal says that while he is extremely proud of Nitin’s achievements, he is also incredibly thankful to the Club for securing the future of one of his kids. The lockdown has brought upon him a spate of problems. Out of work, he is struggling to arrange the fee required to ensure that his daughter, who is due to join her intermediate this year, is able to continue her education. “My neighbours’ kids have joined college, but I am unable to get my daughter admitted because of lack of funds. It is a relief to think that Nitin is going to have a better life than I did. I want his future to be brighter than mine,” says the father.

Nitin believes that he wouldn’t have been able to reach where he is right now without his coach Suheim. “He has given me everything I have. Sailing, knowledge about the sport and about life, and a chance at a good life,” says Nitin. His diet is taken care of in minute detail by Suheim, who he says, instructs the cook on what to make everyday and ensures the sailors eat really healthy.

“I believe that joining the club has brought me a lot of merit. The improvements that I have felt personally have been riding high on my mind, and I just want to scale greater heights through the sport now,” says the highly motivated youngster, adding, “I believe I can achieve anything. I am able to best far more experienced sailors here, and it makes me feel proud. I have been working hard on fine-tuning my skills, and it is paying off.” 

June 17, 2021