My name is Inaaya, I’m 17 years old and am studying for my A-Levels at the Karachi Grammar School. With a

rare mix of social and pure sciences, I am working my way towards a Mechanical Engineering Degree. I have

always been athletic, and sports has always been an important part of my life, but important took on a whole

new meaning in 2020, when I first sat on the rowing machine.

I joined the CAS Rowing team at 12 years old. I competed in my first National Indoor Tournament the next year,

and brought home a silver medal from the Under-20 Category at age 13. It was here that I fell in love with

racing for the win.

Since then, I have competed in 6 international competitions (IISR 2023, 120th Vienna Regatta 2024, 3rd

Vladivostok International Regatta 2024, IISR 2025, Dutch International Youth Regatta Amsterdam 2025,

Thailand Rowing and Kayak SUP Regatta 2025) and the 35th National Games in Pakistan, I have won 60+

medals, 2 Individual Achievement Awards, and 3 trophies.

Amongst the most notable of these events was in February of 2025: The IISR (International Inter School

Regatta). My first clean sweep, in which I was undefeated by local competition and took one silver against an

international crew. Here, I also won Best Female Rower of the Regatta, the U18 Girls Trophy, and my team

took the overall Tournament Victory: The Ikram Cup.

Following this performance, I was inducted into the PSO POWERPLAY Program.

This December, on the 19th and 20th, I competed in the 2025 Thailand Rowing and Kayak SUP Regatta in

Pattaya. With the support of PSO POWERPLAY, I competed from the Karachi Boat Club Crew in the U19 and

U23 Women’s and Mixed Categories. I won a total of 5 gold, 2silver, and 1 bronze medal. This was the highest

medal-winning performance, and also resulted in me winning the Best Female Athlete award for the

tournament.

I am endlessly grateful to my coaches Sir Anil Shehzad and Sir Asghar Ali, the whole KBC Team, my

crewmates and my PSO POWERPLAY, without whom this would not have been possible.

I now have my sights set on the other individual achievement award: The Rower of the Year. Here’s to that, and

many more such successes in the 2026 season!

Medals won in Thailand 2025:

Gold - U23 Women’s 1x500m

Gold - U23 Mixed 2x500m

Gold - U23 Mixed 4x500m

Gold - U23 Women’s Double Scull

Gold - U23 Mixed Double Scull

Silver - U19 Women’s 2x500m

Silver - U19 Women’s Double Scull

Bronze - U19 Women’s Single Scull