A girl from Telangana has inspired netizens with her sheer grit and perseverance. Brought up in a low-income community, Preethi Kongara Kongara soared high and reportedly bagged gold at Asian Games selection trials. Business tycoon Anand Mahindra was left overwhelmed by her story and praised her on Twitter.
In a tweet, the Chairman of Mahindra and Mahindra said he would like to meet her and take sailing lessons from her. “This is truly a ‘Rise’ story. I’m overwhelmed reading about her. So proud of @naandi_india & @NanhiKali
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!”
Manoj Kumar, the CEO of Naandi, an NGO in Hyderabad, shared her old photograph and penned down her tale. In 2016, she was selected from the Nanhi Kali project and trained to sail. The Nanhi Kali project was started by Mahindra to educate underprivileged girls in 1996.
Now, she has emerged as India’s top sportsperson in the Olympic Mixed Double 470 Class of boat. “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? (1/2),” tweeted Kumar.
This is truly a ‘Rise’ story. I’m overwhelmed reading about her. So proud of @naandi_india & @NanhiKali 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! https://t.co/QevwbTV3Tk
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) January 29, 2023
“Meet Preeti Kongara of Nallakunta Govt school whom Team @naandi_india selected from Project @NanhiKali in 2016 & brought to @Suheim to teach her sailing. Today, she’s India No 1 in the Olympic Mixed Double 470 Class of boat. Sports is a poverty breaker. Please (2/2),” Kumar said in another tweet.
Kongara’s story won hearts online and many were inspired. A user commented, “Great Success Story.” Another user commented, “This is absolutely wonderful.” A third user wrote, “Wow. This is so inspiring.”
A Telangana Today report said Kongara won gold with three points in the Asian Games sailing trials at the Bombay Harbour in November last year. The teenager bagged the gold in the senior category of the Olympic 470 mixed class of boat. She won four races and six second positions by pairing with Sudanshu Shekhar, an Indian Navy officer. She began sailing at the age of 10 at the Yacht Club of Hyderabad.