(Final Draft – VARA Compliant, August 2025)

1. Executive Summary

The Budhihal Base NFT Collection is a limited issuance of 10,000 unique digital collectibles, each entitling the holder to 1 hour of private surf coaching with Ramesh Budhihal, India’s first-ever surfing medalist at the Asian Championships.

Issued by the Budhihal Base Foundation, a UAE-based not-for-profit, the NFTs will be launched on Dubai VARA-licensed platforms (e.g., Binance NFT Dubai).

Each NFT combines:

• Utility — Redeemable post-retirement (2035–2050) for 1 coaching hour.
• Collectibility — Unique digital art tied to Ramesh’s journey, from Kovalam to Mahabalipuram.

After redemption, NFTs are not burned but remain in holders’ wallets as art and cultural collectibles.

2. Problem Statement

Athletes from India’s poorest families face immense barriers:

• Lack of funding for non-mainstream sports.
• Unreliable sponsorships.
• No mechanism for fans to directly participate in an athlete’s journey.

Ramesh Budhihal, son of a fisherman from Kovalam, Kerala, overcame poverty and leaving school after the 8th standard to make history at the 2025 Asian Surfing Championships in Mahabalipuram, winning India’s first surfing medal.

Tokenising his future coaching value through NFTs provides immediate funding while giving supporters a real, redeemable, and tradable digital collectible.

3. Why Now