Bengaluru’s Sucheta Deb Burman becomes first Indian woman to complete two-way swim across Palk Strait

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Bengaluru-based ultra-marathon swimmer Sucheta Deb Burman has become the first Indian woman to complete a two-way swim across the Palk Strait (India to Sri Lanka and back).

Nabila Jamal

New Delhi,UPDATED: Mar 26, 2023 14:57 IST

Swimmer Sucheta Deb Burman and her team. (Photo: Twitter)

By Nabila Jamal: Sucheta Deb Burman, an accomplished ultra-marathon swimmer from Bengaluru, has added another record to her repertoire by completing a two-way swim across the Palk Strait, covering a 62 Km distance.

Starting from Dhanushkodi Old Harbor at 4:45 pm on March 15, she reached the turning point Talaimannar at 5 am on March 16 and finished at Arichal Munai at 12:20 pm on March 16, setting a record swim of 19 hours and 31 minutes.

She had previously attempted this swim in 2022 but had to call it quits at the 34 km mark due to a shoulder injury.

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Disappointed, but aware of her limitations, she trained harder over the last year and came back to tackle the unfinished swim. Despite encountering unpredictable ocean currents, weather, and climate conditions, she pushed through to reach that elusive end point.

“Thank god I am alive. I could barely feed. 19 hours and 31 minutes of nonstop swimming is tough for the body to endure. My mind and body are totally exhausted. Nature is wild and the weather is unpredictable. I experienced strong currents and opposite winds from 9 pm to 4.30 am. It was a humbling experience to come out alive. My body is still recovering,” said Burman.

To practice for this emotionally and physically challenging swim, in January, she swam 40 km in 7 hours and 26 minutes from Bandra Worli Sea Link to Elephanta in Mumbai at night.

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The swim was piloted by Angel Sailor Ocean Services, who ensured her safety and success across the Ram Sethu Bridge and officiated by Rajesh Samathanam from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT).

In the Indian waters, the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ensured her safety, and the Sri Lankan Navy provided search and rescue (SAR) cover while swimming in the Sri Lankan waters.

Born in Agartala, she came to Bengaluru as a student of St Joseph’s University. Sucheta began training under her father at 4. Her father has coached several successful swimmers. Apart from being an elite ultra-marathon swimmer, Burman is also a Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NIS) certified swimmer and an open water coach for open water swimming enthusiasts and triathletes.

Published On:

Mar 26, 2023