Surfing — Step-by-Step Roadmap

1. 1
   Stage 1 · Any age Grassroots & local entry

   Learn on India's coast with surf clubs and schools; no SAI NCOE or STC runs surfing. [6]

2. 2
   Stage 2 · Open Asian Surfing Championships

   Ranking points here earned India its first Asian Games spots (2024); Ramesh Budhial won India's first open-men's medal at Mahabalipuram. [2][3]

3. 3
   Stage 3 · Senior Asian Games

   The 2026 Asian Games were India's first — and Asia's LA28 qualifier: one place for the best eligible Asian surfer. [2][1]

4. ★
   Stage 4 · LA28 International orbit

   ISA World Surfing Games 2026–2028 (incl. the best team per gender) and the WSL Championship Tour fill the rest. [1]

Fuel, from stage 1: food first. Pair cereals with pulses about 3:1 — roti or rice with dal, chana or rajma; vegetarians add milk or curd, others eggs, fish or meat. ICMR-NIN says most athletes get enough protein from food and protein powders are unnecessary; NADA warns that no supplement is risk-free. [11][12]

• To surf at LA28 you must be in good standing with your national federation and the ISA. [1]

• Under the anti-doping code you must be available for testing and check every medicine against the Prohibited List; apply to NADA for a TUE if you need a banned medicine. [5]

The surfing ladder [3][2][1]

• Surfing is not among SAI's NCOE or STC sports; surfers train on the coast with clubs and schools. [6]

• You need a board and travel to ranking events. Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices — no governing body publishes them. [1]

Who pays [7]

• Surfing is not on the DoPT list of 65 sports for central sports-quota jobs, and the 2026 Railways and CRPF notices had no surfing posts. [8][9][10]

1. ISA — Qualification System, LA28 Olympic Games: Surfing (version 29 June 2026; copy published by the Namibian NOC) (opens in a new tab) Shortboard events, 48 places, NOC limits, WSL and ISA WSG routes, Asian Games 2026 continental place, good standing · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
2. All India Radio News — Indian surfing team confirms its spot in the Asian Games 2026 for the first time in history (opens in a new tab) One quota each for men and women via Asian Surfing Championships 2024 ranking points · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
3. All India Radio News — Ramesh Budhial becomes first Indian to win medal in open men's category at Asian Surfing Championships (opens in a new tab) Bronze at Mahabalipuram with 12.60 points · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
5. NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
6. SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) NCOE and STC sport lists (surfing not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
7. PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, TOPS, welfare fund, pension · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
8. DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) 65-sport list (surfing not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
9. Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) 2026-27 sports-quota posts (surfing not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
10. CRPF — Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons, HC & Constable (GD), Sports Quota 2026 (Advt. R.II-21/2026-Sports, 17 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) 2026 sports-quota disciplines (surfing not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
11. ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition — Dietary Guidelines for Indians (booklet), Guideline 8 (opens in a new tab) Cereal-pulse 3:1 protein quality, vegetarian and non-vegetarian protein sources; most athletes meet protein needs from food, protein powders unnecessary · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
12. NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Supplement risk, strict liability, food-first approach · Last checked 15 Oct 2026