India, Aug. 29 -- It started out rough. Mahabalipuram's waves had not yet settled into the rhythm Ramesh Budihal, 24, was hoping for.

Then he found his opening curl and manoeuvred his way through it, to earn a score of 6.17. Indonesia's Pajar Ariyana and South Korea's Kanoa Heejae were racing ahead. In the dying moments of the heat, Budihal swept through volatile swells for a score of 6.43, and a total of 12.60.

The final horn sounded.

Budihal grinned and held up his board.

He had just become the first Indian to win an individual medal at the Asian Surfing Championships, clinching bronze on August 12.

"A few years ago, nobody would have said that surfing would grow this fast in India. But we're getting stronger every year," he says....