Hyderabad Sailing Week 2026 Concludes with Inaugural ILCA Open India Championship

Hyderabad's inaugural international sailing championship reached its conclusion on Friday as the Hyderabad Sailing Week 2026 drew to a close with a formal closing ceremony at the EME Sailing Association (EMESA) facilities on Hussain Sagar Lake.

The event marked the realization of hosting India's maiden International ILCA Open Championship on the lake's waters. Lieutenant General Neeraj Varshney, who serves as Commandant of the Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME), Colonel Commandant of the Corps of EME and Commodore of EMESA, presided over the proceedings and honored the championship winners following a week of competitive international sailing.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lt Gen Varshney highlighted EMESA's remarkable four-decade contribution to Indian sailing, noting the organization's track record of developing Olympians, Arjuna Award recipients and elite sailors. He characterized sailing as a discipline that cultivates qualities including self-reliance, resilience, patience, leadership and personal discipline.

The Lieutenant General encouraged all participants to view obstacles as learning opportunities and emphasized that true achievement lies in participation and sustained effort rather than victory alone. He expressed optimism that the championship would see expanded international participation in future editions and invoked Christopher Columbus while motivating sailors to pursue ambitious goals with bravery and high standards.

The championship brought together 124 sailors representing 19 sailing clubs and institutions from Army, Navy and civilian sailing organizations, as well as international competitors. Among the participants were 19 women and girls. EMESA organized the event under the oversight of MCEME, in collaboration with the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and the Yachting Association of India (YAI).

Competition took place across multiple categories including ILCA-7, ILCA-6 divisions for men and women, and ILCA-4 classes for boys and girls. The successful hosting of the championship has reinforced Hyderabad and EMESA's standing as premier venues for competitive sailing activities in India.