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RAMANATHAPURAM: A group of ten swimmers, including two para swimmers, swam across the Palk Strait from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanushkodi in India on April 18.
A press release from the district administration said the group included a 8-member relay team comprising athletes and professionals drawn from diverse backgrounds. The swimmers departed from Rameswaram on April 17 after clearing all immigration and customs formalities.
The swim commenced around 5.50 am on April 18 from a point 1-2 km Thalaimannar coast (in compliance with ministry guidelines prohibiting direct entry to or from Sri Lankan territory).
Para swimmers - Ganesh Balaga from Andhra Pradesh completed the swim in 10 hours 50 minutes. He is the first para swimmer from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to achieve the feat. The second swimmer Shashruti Vinayak Nakade of Nagpur swam the distance in 11 hours 5 minutes, the first amputee swimmer to achieve the feat.
The relay team led by Prasanta Karmakar, completed the swim in 8 hours 30 minutes. The team included Deepak Babulal Karwa, IAS, ADC of Kaithal (Haryana), Abhinav Gopal, IAS, Chief Development Officer, Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh), Murigeppa Channannavar, Inspector of Police (Karnataka), Rabin Boldey, Head TT Railway, Sealdah (West Bengal), Aman Shanbag, 3rd year Medical Student (Karnataka), Rajbir, Para Swimmer (Haryana) and Ishant Singh, National Athlete (Haryana).
they were welcomed by officers from Customs, and Immigration department and other dignitaries at Dhanushkodi. The swim was officially observed by the Swimming Federation of India. The relay team plans to cross the English Channel in June, the release added.
