Hyderabad: In an inspiring story of grit and passion, an orphan girl from Hyderabad has emerged as the best Indian in the Olympic Mixed Double 470 class of boat with Chairman Mahindra Group Anand Mahindra hailing it as a “rise story”. The brave 18-year-old Preeti Kongara, was raised single-handedly by her mother despite the absence of her father.
Preeti said she has not even faint memories of happiness with her father, who worked as a watchman and died of some terminal illness before she turned seven years old. “My mother Vijayalakshmi worked in a dress shop and brought up my elder sister Priya and me. After getting a bit older, my elder sister also worked part-time and supported my mother,” she said.
Preeti said that when she was studying in 6th standard in a government school, Naandi Foundation, an NGO selected for water sports. Hesitant at first given her lack of experience in the sport, Preeti somehow convinced her mother to allow her train in it. “Until then, I was afraid to go into the water. Somehow I took the decision and convinced my mother.
At last, joined the training,'' she recalled. Preeti said while training to sail a boat, she could not withstand the strong winds and fell into the water. However, her mentor Suheem Sheikh asked her to be brave. “With that, I returned to training and preparation for competitions,” she said. In 2016, Preeti participated in Telangana State Sailing Championship under-15 competitions and won a silver medal in the junior fleet.
In the same year, she won the gold medal in the Monsoon Regatta competition. “Ever since I joined sailing, my mentor took care of all my educational needs, nutrition, and other needs,'' she said. Preeti said the first time she went to the sea for training in Chennai, the strong waves made her shiver. “I was used to driving in Hussainsagar till then, suddenly such a big sea scared me a bit.
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I thought I couldn't qualify for international competitions. But slowly got used to it with training. After that, I was able to sail in the seas of Mumbai, Pondicherry, and Krishnapatnam,'' she said. With regard to the international level, Preeti said that there was “some hesitation” when she participated in sailing competitions in the sea for India in Oman.
“It was also new to have 300 people competing at the same time,” she said. So far Preeti has received five gold medals, four silver, and five bronze medals. She has been staying in Mumbai for a year and is training for the Asian Games to be held in September this year. Preeti said her goal is to participate in Olympic mixed doubles for which she is practicing hard.
Manoj Kumar, CEO of the NGO Naandi Foundation, which sponsored Preeti shared her journey said “This is one of the most inspiring stories I have read in recent times. What are the chances that a grade 8 girl in a government school living in a low-income community in Hyderabad who never put foot in a water body…to be Captain of India’s Sailing Team?” Kumar wrote.
“Meet Preeti Kongara of Nallakunta Govt school whom Team Naandi India selected from Project Nanhi Kali in 2016 & brought to Suheim Sheikh to teach her sailing. Today, she’s India No 1 in the Olympic Mixed Double 470 Class of boat. Sports is a poverty breaker,” he wrote in another post.
Chairman Mahindra Group Anand Mahindra while sharing Kumar's post termed Preeti's a ‘Rise’ story. " This is truly a ‘Rise’ story. I’m overwhelmed reading about her. So proud of Naandi India & Nanhi Kali for supporting her. And of Suheim for coaching her. Maybe when Preeti has the time, I’d love to meet her and go sailing on my catamaran so she can coach me!,” Mahindra wrote.
