17 November,2025 10:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Aditi Alurkar
Students learning sailing techniques under the guidance of the Indian Army’s sports wing. Pics/Kirti Surve Parade
While sailing is a distant dream or a spectator pastime for most Mumbaikars, 30 students from BMC schools are now learning to master the sport with hands-on training led by the Indian Army's sports wing at Chowpatty. The group, comprising 15 girls and 15 boys aged 13 to 15, has completed eight weeks of ground training and four weeks of on-water sailing.
The students were selected based on health parameters such as height, weight, and vision. They come from three D ward civic schools - Mumbai Public School Balaram Street (Urdu), Mumbai Public School Gilder Lane, and Jagannath Shankar Seth English Secondary School. Every Saturday, they head to Chowpatty for sailing theory and practice, and on Thursdays, they train at Malabar Hill Club to sharpen their swimming skills while balancing school hours.
Army personnel also coach them in physical fitness, rigging, derigging, and sailing basics. "I used to be scared of water, but ever since these classes started, I'm doing well," said 13-year-old Rukhsaar from Balaram Street Urdu School. "Swimming has become my favourite part. We have life jackets and trainers around us at all times, so sailing doesn't feel scary anymore."
Pragya Chavan from Gilder Lane school said she was selected because her height and weight matched the criteria. Physical training and exposure to new sports have kept her motivated. Another student, Sandhya Chowdhury, said her early swimming lessons in a river in Bihar helped her adapt quickly. "My parents are thrilled I got selected," she said.
The selected group of 30 BMC school students undergoing sailing and fitness training
Some students had no swimming experience before joining. Danish Ansari, from Std VIII, admitted he was hesitant at first, but now eagerly waits for every session. His classmate, Mohammed Umar, still doesn't know how to swim but can't wait to learn how to drift on the sailboat.
Teachers say the programme has brought visible behavioural changes. "They're more disciplined, well-groomed, and attentive. They find it very important that uniformed personnel are talking to them," said the D ward Administrative Officer Rohini Lalge and Mohammad Ishtiyaque, Headmaster Balaram street school while talking to mid-day.
BMC school students training on the basics of sailing at Chowpatty
The training programme was inaugurated at Birla Krida Bhavan in Swarajya Bhoomi (Chowpatty). Students are expected to learn sailing techniques, safety protocols, and watercraft control.
The Army's sports wing aims to build sports confidence and nurture talent that could represent India at future international competitions, the Army's Mission Olympic Wing and HQ Maharashtra Gujrat and Goa Area has set off with this initiative. "This initiative supports the national vision of preparing for the 2036 Olympics. The athletes of tomorrow are sitting in schools today," said Col Ameya Humnabadkar.
"With Mumbai's rich sealine, it was only right to encourage sports like sailing. While sailing is typically not followed by everyone, sports is the only space that does not discriminate between the rich and underprivileged, allowing all students equal footing," he added.
Once they begin excelling at the sports, the students can also be potentially absorbed into the forces, said the officials. Officials also noted that promising students could potentially be absorbed into the armed forces in the future.
The next step, according to Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Education) Prachi Jambhekar, is to ensure the children receive proper nutrition to support their training. "This initiative currently includes students from D ward, but we hope more civic-school students across Mumbai can join similar programmes," she said.
