Nidhi Subbaiah describes herself as an “actor, singer and decorated sailor” on her social media handles. In fact, her first tryst with fame did not come from modelling or acting, but after she won two gold medals for Karnataka as a sailor. She tells us how sailing has always been her first love, and after all these years, she has now been making it a point to take time out and sail, whenever she gets the time and opportunity.

“I first got into sailing during my first year of PUC and had dreams of pursuing it professionally too. I even had plans of training for the Olympics. But my acting career took off and I could not spend much time out there,” she says.

The actress adds, “However, I have got back to it in a big way. I have been sailing actively for the past year and a half. I head to Mysuru every time I get a break from shoot schedules to sail at the RMSC (Royal Mysore Sailing Club). In fact, I have introduced a lot of my friends and family to it as well. I sail whenever I am presented with an opportunity, especially during my travels. I made the most of it when I was travelling in Italy, Thailand and Mexico. Thailand happened first, in 2015, then Italy in 2017 and a year later, Mexico. Though I did go to New York in 2019, I did not get an opportunity to sail, unfortunately.”

Though, Nidhi adds, the sport is not as easy as or even as glamourous as it may look in pictures. “It is hard work, but luckily something I seem to have the knack for. It is also strenuous, one sets sail in the morning and comes back only in the evening, I used to get totally tanned after spending so much time out in the sun,” she says. “I’m like nature’s child, and I love being out there in the sun!”