Below is the list of swimmers who made India proud with global achievements:
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Many people consider swimming as a recreational activity, while others take a keen interest in the sport to make a living out of it. With swimming being popular in countries like America, Australia, Great Britain among others, the sport has struggled to gain proper attention in India. This explains the reason behind the country’s mediocre performances at the global stage. But there are swimmers who have broken the barriers to compete at major tournaments on equal footing. Let us look at the Indian swimmers who have made the country proud in global events:
Shikha has been setting the pace from a very young age. She famously participated in the Asian Games at the age of 13. Infact at 16, she competed in her first World Championship. At the national level, Tandon broke numerous records with relative ease. Most notably, she won five individual Gold medals at the Senior National Aquatic Championship in 2003.
Notably, Tandon competed in the 50m and 100m freestyle events at the 2004 Athens Olympics, making her the first Indian swimmer to qualify for two separate events in Olympics. After winning the Bronze at the indoor Asian age-group swimming Championships in 2006, she became the first female Indian swimmer to win an international medal for a short-course event. Shikha’s incredible achievements landed her an Arjuna Award.
The 29-year-old swimmer has been an inspirational role model for budding athletes in the country from the start of his career. Virdhawal’s achievements extend beyond the multiple medals he has clinched so far. His Bronze in the 50m butterfly event at the 2010 Asian Games was India’s maiden swimming medal in the competition in 24 years.
Virdhawal also qualified for the men’s 50m, 100m, and 200m freestyle swimming events at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He notably won the Gold medals in the 50m freestyle and butterfly events at the 2010 South Asian Games. Khade’s achievements did not go unnoticed as he was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2011.
The long-distance swimmer was a pioneer in creating “many firsts” in India. The late Arati started swimming from a tender age of four. Beyond long-distance swimming and breaststroke, she was equally good in freestyle. Winning multiple junior level medals, her spotlight moment came in 1952. She participated in that year’s Summer Olympics in 200 metres breaststroke event at just 12 years of age. Her career highlight happened years later as Arati took up the challenge to cross the English Channel.
In August 1959, she made her first attempt, participating at the Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race. However, she was unable to complete the task. But, a month later, Arati succeeded by swimming for 16 hours and 20 minutes to become the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel. She was awarded the Padma Shri a year later and the Department of Posts celebrated her feat by bringing out a postage stamp of ₹3 denomination in 1999.
