Courtesy: Storytellers For Good
She's young. She's beautiful. And she is also India's first ever professional female surfer.
Meet Ishita Malaviya, journalism student-turned-surfer who's broken almost every stereotype that tries to bind the quintessential Indian woman. As Ishita herself says in the video, in India women are expected to get an education, find a job, get married and then make babies. If she was trying to break through societal barriers, Ishita has done that and more!
This video, uploaded on Vimeo by Storytellers For Good in collaboration with Brown Girls Surf, traces Ishita's journey from a slender student into a strong professional surfer. We get a glimpse into her struggle to convince her parents to let her pursue a career as a surfer; an insight into how amazed people are even today at the sight (and even thought) of a female surfer; and of course a sneak peek into the upcoming generation of surfers.
Ishita currently runs the Shaka Surf Club in Manipal, Karnataka, along with boyfriend and co-founder Tushar Pathiyan.
Watch Ishita's inspirational story here: