India’s Trailblazers: First Women at Freestyle Worlds

They’re the first Indian women to compete in freestyle canoe on the world stage — and they’re just getting started.
From remote rivers to Germany’s whitewater, Naina Adhikari and Devi Dada are rewriting what’s possible.

As part of the ICF development camp, Naina and Devi represented India at the ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships in Plattling — a historic first. Coming from communities with little exposure to paddle sports, they’ve overcome logistical, cultural, and financial barriers to rise to the international level.

Their journey is one of passion and perseverance, but also purpose: Naina is now leading “Ganga Girls,” a grassroots initiative teaching kayaking to underprivileged girls in India — using the river as a tool for empowerment and change.

This episode is about more than medals. It’s about breaking stereotypes, inspiring a generation, and creating new currents of opportunity.

 

-Update, Devi Dada has a new freestyle kayak from Spade Kayaks in India. What an amazing result and we also thank Denk Outdoor for supplying fantastic gear for the development camp.