Arati Saha (1940-1994) is a symbol of Pride for India
Arati Saha was the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel.
She is and was an inspiration to everyone as she broke out of the conventional barriers and chose an uncommon career option. At that time, swimming across the English Channel was also very male-dominated.
The English Channel also called the ‘Mount Everest of Swimming’ is 33 km long. Arati Saha (1959), at the age of 19, took 16 hours and 20 mins to swim across the channel. It took her 2 tries to cross the English Channel.
She was inspired by Bangladesh swimmer, Brojen Das, first Asian to swim across the English Channel (1958).
She had been swimming her entire life and won her first medal at the age of five. She specialised in breaststroke and freestyle.
Her decade long career won her 22 medals. She also took part in the 1952 Olympics but sadly didn’t win anything.
Arati Saha was awarded with the Padma Shri for her achievements.
The Department of Posts made a Rs 3 postage stamp in her honour (1999).
On what would have been her 80th birthday, in 2020 Google honoured her with a doodle.
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