The name Shakti comes from India, from the ancient Sanskrit word for power, strength and the creative force of the feminine. It represents the strength that exists within every woman, not as something that needs to be given to her, but something that has always been there.

The kayak’s identity carries this story, too. The शक्ति logo is handwritten by Naina’s mother, connecting the boat to its roots and to the women who have shaped the journey behind it. The lotus, eyes, third eye, flame and diya woven into the design speak to resilience, awareness, courage and the light that women carry forward.

Shakti was born from conversations around women’s experiences on the river, their safety, their confidence, the barriers they face, and the importance of having a space where they can grow.
It is a boat, but it is also a statement:
that women belong on the water.
That representation matters.
That strength grows when we create space for one another.

And perhaps that is what a boat can do

take you places you couldn’t reach from the shore, and remind you that you belong there.