Case Study: Captain Arvind – From sceptic to champion of Inclusive Sailing

When he first encountered World Sailing’s Inclusive Development Programme (IDP), he was openly unsure about the purpose, the practicality, and even the value of inclusive sailing.

He questioned whether it was relevant to his sailors, his club, or the wider ecosystem in India.

And honestly, that hesitation wasn’t unusual. Many leaders in emerging sailing nations share those doubts before they see, firsthand, what inclusion really delivers.

But in 2023, Arvind attended the IDP in Singapore and something shifted. Throughout the week, he found himself challenged, inspired, and ultimately reshaped by the course content, the coaching approach, the athlete stories, and the vision behind Para Inclusive Sailing.

After the course, he offered a quote that captured the turning point in his own thinking:

“The best thing about the course: the inclusion – the amount and range of content seamlessly, smoothly, and simply delivered in a way that was accessible to sailors and non-sailors. Bridging the previous gap between ‘ability’ and ‘disability’ sailing to make inclusive sailing accessible to all. The way the WS course was delivered – with passion, highest level awe-inspiring expertise, and empathy – nobody was left behind.”

It didn’t stop there.

In 2024, Arvind didn’t just talk about the IDP – he acted on it.

He sent his sailors.

He sent his coaches.

He invested in the movement, exposing his entire team to the same learning curve he experienced.

And they came home inspired, motivated, and ready to take the next step, which for India was to host the first ever Para Inclusive National Championship in their newly acquired Hansa boats.

Then, in 2025, he took the biggest leap of all: He hosted the Asian Inclusive Sailing Series (AISS) at the Royal Mysore Sailing Club.

An event involving 13 nations, dozens of Para and Inclusive sailors, international coaches, and a level of visibility India had never seen in this space before.

Arvind and his team didn’t just deliver the event – they delivered it with pride, intention, and a belief in the mission that would have been unrecognisable just two years earlier.

This transformation, from scepticism to full-scale leadership, is the strongest proof we have of the power of the IDP. It changes attitudes. It grows capability. It builds pathways. And it empowers local leaders to create opportunity where none existed.

Arvind’s journey shows what happens when an open mind meets the right support system. It’s a story of change, courage, and commitment, and it represents exactly what the Para Inclusive movement is striving for:

• not just participation, but ownership.
• not just awareness, but leadership.
• not just inclusion, but genuine community impact.

World Sailing is proud to support leaders like Captain Arvind – and even prouder of how he is now shaping the future for inclusive sailors across India and the wider Asian region.

For more information on the Inclusive Development Programme, including how to host, please visit the Para & Inclusive Sailing Development section of the World Sailing website.