Swimmers in India

Swimmers in India have been taking part in various competition of national and international importance for long. Ever since the game has been a part of Olympics in 1896, Indian swimmers were in the international scene.

Some of the well-known swimmers from India over the years have been Nafisa Ali, Bula Choudhury, Sachin Nag, Prasanta Karmakar, Aditya Raut, Sachet Engineer, Kutraleeswaran, Nisha Millet, Arati Saha, Sandeep Sejwal, Khajan Singh, Anita Sood, Mihir Sen, Shikha Tandon, Sushil Kohli and Sebastian Xavier.

Following are the popular Swimmers in India:
Vidhawal Khad: He made history on 16th November 2010 when he won an award following 24 years for India in swimming in the 50m butterfly categorization at the 2010 Asian amusements. He contended in the men"s 50 m, 100 m and 200 m Freestyle swimming events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Sandeep Sejwal: He challenged in the men"s 100 m and 200 m swimming stroke occasions at the 2010 Asian Juniors in Beijing. He won the Bronze award in 2014 Asian amusements in 50m bosom stroke.

Bijoy Barman: Bijoy Barman is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 metres backstroke and the water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Vaania Kapoor Achuthan: Vaania Kapoor Achuthan is an Indian competitive swimmer. At the ages of 9 years, Vaania Kapoor Achuthan was selected to represent the Karnataka state swimming team. Vaania has achieved many swimming records and has won many medals both at the national and state competitions.

Nafisa Ali: Nafisa Ali has accomplishments in swimming. She was the national swimming champion from 1972-1974 who won the Miss India title in 1976 and was runner-up at the Miss International contest in 1977. Ali was also a jockey at the Calcutta Gymkhana in 1979.

Bula Choudhury: Bula Choudhury is an Arjuna awardee, Padma Shri awardee, former Indian national women`s swimming champion. She is now elected as current MLA in May 2016 in West Bengal state.

Shivani Kataria: Shivani Kataria is an Indian swimmer. Shivani Kataria competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women`s 200-meter freestyle event.

Dolly Nazir: Dolly Nazir is an Indian former swimmer. Dolly Nazir competed in two events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Kanchanmala D Pande: Kanchanmala D Pande is a blind international female swimmer. She has won several medals at international, National and State level since she was a child. She has competed successfully with sighted swimmers at all levels.

Bimal Chandra: Bimal Chandra was an Indian swimmer. He competed in two events at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Sachet Engineer: Sachet Engineer is an Indian actor and a swimmer. He is best known for his role as Yohaan Awasthi (Dada) in the 2007 Bollywood film, Taare Zameen Par.

Sachin Nag: Sachin Nag was an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 meters freestyle at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Khajan Singh: Khajan Singh is an Indian swimmer, who remained national swimming champion of India, and won a silver medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. He was awarded an Arjuna Award by Government of India in 1984.

Anshul Ketan Kothari: Anshul Ketan Kothari is an Indian competitive swimmer who has represented India in Commonwealth Games 2010, Asian Games 2010, and Asian Games 2014.

Sajan Prakas: He made history on 8th February 2015 by winning 6 gold and 3 Silver awards and turned into the best contestant of the Indian National Games.

Shikha Tandon: She has won 146 national awards, and 36 decorations in worldwide rivalries, including five gold medals.

Rehan Poncha: He is a five-time national champion Indian swimmer and Arjuna Award winner. He is a 5-time Indian swimming champion, and a 6-time record holder in the butterfly.

For more years after that, the swimmers from India have been mere pushovers in international competitions. Excepting a few omissions, which includes Khazan Singh`s silver medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, not many swimmers from India have been able to shine in the international matches, and earn laurels for the country.

Indian Male Swimmers

Indian male  swimmers hold a number of prestigious titles of both national and international arena. Here are some of the talents, who dedicated their lives in swimming from British era to present.

Masudur Rahman Baidya : Masudur Rahman Baidya hailed from West Bengal, born in the year 1968. He was an Indian swimmer who was the world`s first physically handicapped swimmer to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar. He died on 26th April 2015.

Sri Chand Bajaj : Sri Chand Bajaj is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 meter freestyle at the 1956 Summer Olympics.

Bijoy Barman : Bijoy Barman was born on 1st December in the year 1928. He is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100-metre backstroke and the water polo at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Avinder Singh Brar : Avinder Singh Brar was an Indian Police Service officer who was killed by suspected militants in 1987 in Punjab. At the time of his death, he was senior superintendent of police of Patiala. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1988. Avinder Singh Brar studied at St. George`s College, Mussoorie and at Delhi University`s St Stephen`s College. He was a keen swimmer and held a national record in the 100 m breast-stroke. He was awarded the Asiad Jyoti for organizing the swimming events at the Asian Games in New Delhi.

Bimal Chandra : Bimal Chandra was an Indian swimmer of colonial era. He competed in two events at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Sachet Engineer : Sachet Engineer is an Indian actor and a swimmer. He is best known for his role as Yohaan Awasthi (Dada) in the 2007 Bollywood film, Taare Zameen Par. He is the grandson of water polo champion, Ishwar Girdharlal Engineer.

Hakimuddin Shabbir Habibulla : Hakimuddin Shabbir Habibulla is an Indian former swimmer, who specialized in middle-distance freestyle events. He represented India at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and later became a co-founder of GoSports India Pvt. Ltd., a sports management company based in Bangalore. He was also the Founder Trustee of the GoSports Foundation.

Rohit Havaldar : Rohit Havaldar was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He is an Indian swimmer. Rohith Havaldar has achieved many swimming records and has won many medals both at the nationals and state competitions. He competed in Telstra grand prix Olympic trials in July. He created history in 2010 when he won a medal for India in swimming at the 2010 South Asian games.

Virdhawal Vikram Khade : Virdhawal Vikram Khade is hailing from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He is an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men`s 50 m, 100 m and 200 m Freestyle swimming events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing setting an Indian national record in 100 m Freestyle while winning his unseeded heat, but failed to qualify for the semifinals in his events. He created history on 16th November 2010 when he won a medal after 24 years for India in swimming in the 50m butterfly category at the 2010 Asian games.

Shamsher Khan : Shamsher Khan is the first independent Indian swimmer who represented India in 1956 Summer Olympics. He ranked 5th at the Melbourne Games of 1956. In 1954, he made a national record in the 200-meter butterfly event. He broke the existing national record at the national meet in Bangalore in 1955.

Sushil Kohli : Sushil Kohli is an Indian swimmer and water polo player. He was born on 19th April 1953. His father was the late Sh Mulkh Raj Kohli, who started the company Beat All Sports commonly known as BAS. He received a bronze medal at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi.

Anshul Ketan Kothari : Anshul Ketan Kothari is an Indian competitive swimmer who has represented India in Commonwealth Games 2010, Asian Games 2010, and Asian Games 2014.

Kutral Ramesh : Kutral Ramesh, popularly known as Kutraleeswaran, is an Indian swimmer. He swam across the Palk Strait, in April 1994. He swam across English Channel in 1994 when he was 13 years old and in the same year, he swam across Rottnest Channel in Australia, Straits of Messina in Italy, Zannone Circeo in Italy and Ten Degree Channel to surpass Mihir Sen`s record of completing five channels in a calendar year. He received the Arjuna Award and Guinness world record in 1996.

Nalin Malik : Nalin Malik was an Indian swimmer. He competed in two events at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

Dilip Mitra : Dilip Mitra was an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 meters freestyle at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Prahtip Mitra : Prahtip Mitra is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 meters backstroke at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Supriya Mondal : Supriya Mondal, born on 12th January 1997 in a little fishing village in Shahpur, West Bengal. He is an Indian swimmer and trains at the Dolphin Academy, Bangalore under Coach Nihar Ameen who has trained Olympians like Virdhawal Khade and Sandeep Sejwal.

Isaac Monsoor : Isaac Monsoor is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in men`s 100-metre freestyle and the water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Prafulla Mullick : Prafulla Mullick is an Indian former swimmer. He competed in the men`s 200 metre breaststroke at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Amar Muralidharan : Amar Muralidharan is an Indian swimmer who has earned six National Titles. He held the 200m Butterfly & Freestyle National Titles from 2000-2004.

Arjun Muralidharan : Arjun Muralidharan is an Indian swimmer who has earned 15 National Titles. He is widely considered as one of the greatest butterfly swimmers of India. He has also been the best swimmer in three consecutive Open National Championships from 2004-2006 and held all three (50, 100, 200 m) butterfly National titles for four years from 2004-2007 as well as all three (50, 100, 200 m) backstroke National titles in the year 2006.

Sachin Nag : Sachin Nag of British era was an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men`s 100 metres freestyle at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He also competed in the water polo at the 1948 and 1952 Summer Olympics.

Rehan Jahangir Poncha : Rehan Jahangir Poncha is a five-time national champion Indian swimmer and Arjuna Award winner, who specialized in backstroke, butterfly, and individual medley events. He is also the recipient of the Eklavya Award from the Karnataka Olympic Association. He is a 5-time Indian swimming champion, and a 6-time record holder in the butterfly (both 100 and 200 m). Poncha also set two of his records in the freestyle and medley relays at the 2009 Asian Swimming Championships in Foshan, China, along with his teammates Sandeep Sejwal, Virdhawal Khade, and Aaron D`Souza.

Sajan Prakash : Sajan Prakash is an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men`s Freestyle, butterfly and relay events at the 2015 National Games in Kerala. He created history on 8th February 2015 by winning 6 gold and 3 Silver medals and became the best athlete of the Indian National Games, held at Trivandrum, Kerala. He also represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in 200m butterfly.

Aditya Santosh Raut : Aditya Santosh Raut is an international open water swimmer, known for breaking many swimming records at a young age.

Sandeep Sejwal : Sandeep Sejwal is an Indian swimmer. He contested in the men`s 100 m and 200 m breaststroke events at the 2010 Asian Juniors in Beijing, but failed to reach the finals in both events. He won the Bronze medal in 2014 Asian games in 50m breast stroke.

Mihir Sen : Mihir Sen was a famous long distance swimmer, best known for being the first Indian to conquer the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 1958 and the only man to earn the distinction of swimming the Oceans of the five continents in one calendar year (1966). This included the Palk Strait, Dardanelles, Bosphorpous, The straits of Gibraltar and the entire length of the Panama Canal.

Khamlillal Shah : Khamlillal Shah is an Indian former swimmer of independent era. He competed in the men`s 100 meter backstroke at the 1948 Summer Olympics and the 1952 Summer Olympics and the water polo tournament at the 1952 Summer Olympics

Khajan Singh : Khajan Singh who is also known as Khajan Singh Tokas, is an Indian swimmer, who remained national swimming champion of India, and won a silver medal at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul. He was awarded an Arjuna Award by Government of India in 1984.

Ashish Tokas : Ashish Tokas is an Indian swimmer. He is a national level swimmer in breaststroke.

Adaveeshaiah Puttaveeraswamy Gagan Ullalmath : Adaveeshaiah Puttaveeraswamy Gagan Ullalmath, popularly known as Gagan Ullalmath, is an Indian swimmer. He is the only swimmer to represent India in the 2012 London Olympics. Adaveeshaiah Puttaveeraswamy Gagan Ullalmath finished 7th in heat 1 of 1500 m freestyle event with a time of 16:31:14 and was eventually knocked out at last position 31st.

Sebastian Xavier : Sebastian Xavier is a former Indian swimmer from Kerala. He was the fastest swimmer of India for more than a decade. He held the national record of 22.89 seconds in 50 meters freestyle swimming for 11 years from 1998 to 2009.

Indian Female Swimmers

Indian Female Swimmers began their story from the hard struggled life dedicated for swimming. Some of the swimmers are Nafisa Ali, Arati Saha, Bula Choudhury, Vaania Kapoor Achuthan and many more.

Vaania Kapoor Achuthan : Vaania Kapoor Achuthan is an Indian contemporary swimmer. At the age of 9 years Vaania was selected to represent the Karnataka state swimming team. Vaania Kapoor Achuthan has achieved many swimming records and has won many medals at both the nationals and state competitions.

Nafisa Ali : Nafisa Ali is a Bengali actress and social activist from India. In her early life, she was a national level swimmer and she bagged many prestigious titles during her sports career.

Bula Choudhury : Bula Choudhury hailing from West Bengal is an Arjuna awardee, Padma shri awardee, former India national women`s swimming champion. She was elected as current MLA in May 2016 in West Bengal.

Nisha Millet : Nisha Millet is a swimmer from Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Nisha Millet, the Arjuna Award winner, was the only woman in the 2000 Sydney Olympics swim team for India.

Shivani Kataria : Shivani Kataria was born on September 27 in the year 1997. She is hailing from Haryana. She is an Indian swimmer. She competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women`s 200 meters freestyle event. Her time of 2:09.30 in the heats did not qualify her for the semifinals. She holds most of the Indian national records. She has also represented India at South Asian Aquatic Games held in Colombo 2016. She was India`s first female Olympic swimmer since the 2004 Summer Olympics. The Swimming Federation of India (SFI) selected Shivani Kataria as India"s wild card entry for the Rio Olympics after no Indian swimmer was able to qualify through the qualifiers.

Dolly Nazir : Dolly Nazir is an Indian former swimmer. She competed in two events at the 1952 Summer Olympics.

Kanchanmala D Pande : Kanchanmala D Pande is a blind international female swimmer. She has won several medals at international, national and state level since she was a child. She has competed successfully with sighted swimmers at all levels.

Rupali Ramdas Repale : Rupali Ramdas Repale was born on 3rd February in the year 1982 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She is an Indian open water long distance swimmer and triathlete. She swam the English Channel in the solo swim category on 15th August 1994 in a time span of 16 hours and 7 minutes making her the youngest successful swimmer (12 years old) to cross the English Channel for the year 1994.

Arati Saha : Arati Saha was a long distance swimmer of British era. She was the first swimmer of India. She was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, when British Government in India ruled. Arati Saha was initiated in swimming at the early age of four, and her talent was spotted by Sachin Nag.

Bhakti Sharma : Bhakti Sharma is an Indian Open water swimmer.

Poorva Kiran Shetye : Poorva Kiran Shetye is an Indian International Swimmer, who is specialized in 50 m, 100 m and 200 m breaststroke. Poorva Kiran Shetye still holds the National Record at the National Games for 50 m Breast Stroke.

Anita Sood : Anita Sood is a former national woman-swimming champion of India. She became the fastest Asian swimmer to cross the English Channel. She was awarded Arjuna Award for her achievements. She currently has two children. She lives in the United States, in Los Angeles, California.

Shikha Tandon : Shikha Tandon is a champion swimmer from Bangalore, India. Shikha Tandon has won 146 national medals, and 36 medals in international competitions, including five gold medals. Currently, she is a member of USADA"s science team, who assists in the daily operation, development and maintenance of the resources, reporting, and projects critical to USADA"s scientific initiatives.

Paralympic Swimmers of India

Paralympic swimmers of India qualified with their talent and with their valiant heart and hunger for victory made them special in the field of sports. Some of the famous Paralympic swimmers in India are Sharath M. Gayakwad, Niranjan Mukundan, Parasanta Karmakar and Murlikant Petkar.

Following are the famous Paralympics swimmers of India:

Murlikant Petkar: Murlikant Petkar, a para swimmer won an individual gold medal in the 1972 Paralympics, in Heidelberg, which was held in Germany. He set a world record in the 50m freestyle swimming event, at 37.33 seconds. In the same game, Murlikant Petkar participated in javelin, precision javelin throw and slalom. He was a finalist in all three events.

Sharath M. Gayakwad: Sharath M. Gayakwad is an Indian Paralympics swimmer from Bengaluru. At the 2014 Asian Games, Sharath M. Gayakwad broke the record of PT Usha, being a disabled for most number of medals by an Indian at any multi-discipline event by winning 6 medals. He has over 30 international and 40 national medals to his credit, one of them being the bronze medal at the 2010 Asian Para Games. He is the first Indian swimmer to qualify for the Paralympics and competed in the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London. He has been receiving both monetary and non-monetary support from the Go Sports Foundation, Bengaluru since 2011.

Niranjan Mukundan: Niranjan Mukundan who is also known as N. Mukundan was born on 4th September 1994 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Niranjan Mukundan is an Indian para-swimmer and trains with fellow Go Sports Foundation scholar and London 2012 paralympian Sharath Gayakwad, under the Coach John Christopher.

Prasanta Karmakar: He is an Indian Para swimmer. He was born in Kolkata, West Bengal. He was coached by Pradeep Kumar in Bengaluru. He was honoured with the prestigious Arjuna award for 2010 in the disabled sports category. He is the son of a taxi driver who lost his hand in a road accident.

Suyash Jadhav: He is an Indian Para swimmer, challenging in the S7 Category. He is the only Indian Para swimmer to have achieved the "A" qualifying mark for the 2016 Paralympics in Rio, and is being supported by the Go Sports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme in front of his Paralympics pursuit.

Vishwas KS: In 2015 Vishwas won 4 silver medals at the state level and 3 silver medals at the national level para-swimming competition. Then Sports Authority of India (SAI) chose him to participate in Canada, where he made India proud by winning three medals (2 silver and 1 bronze) at the 2016 Speedo Can-Am Para-swimming Championships.

Kanchanmala Pandey: She has so far won more than 110 medals, including six at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, nine at the Asian Games and 50 at the state level. She has also featured into Hindi television series titled `Nazar Ya Nazariya` and `Yeh Hai Raushni ka Karvan`.

Paralympics swimmers in India lead a life like other common people, though they have a disability in their physic.