Meet Murthy Megavan, a small-time fisherman-turned-surf champion

Surfing champion Murthy Megavan is a fisherman’s son from a tiny fishing hamlet along Tamil Nadu's ECR. His love affair with the sea began when he was a child and would bunk school to ride the waves using a broken wooden window.

By class 6 he decided to drop out of school to take to fishing to support his family.

His life took a U-turn in 2001 when he came across Jack Hebner, the Surfing Swami, who was at Kovalam riding wave after wave on a surfboard. Megavan borrowed the surfboard from Hebner and took only a few minutes to adapt to it.

That was initiation into surfing. By 2003 he'd managed to buy himself a surfboard and began self-learning. Though the locals ridiculed him, he ignored it all... such was his love for the sport.

Murthy went on to participate in several championships in India that he won and even participated internationally. He launched a surf school in Kovalam where he teaches local youth for free. On one condition: they've to steer clear of drugs and alcohol and volunteer in social activities.