Kolkata: Renowned author Nirad C. Chaudhuri had once written, the Bengalis are self-forgetful people. The comment comes more to life when anyone is asked about the first Indian swimmer to cross the English Channel. Immediately the name of Mihir Sen springs up.
In 1958, alongside Sen, another person from then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Brajen Das, had also crossed the Channel. But, seldom do people remember Das. Similarly, Arati Saha's name has faded from people's memory. Saha was the first Asian female swimmer to cross the English Channel, barely a year after Mihir Sen.
Today is Saha's birth anniversary and on September 29 it will be the anniversary of her outstanding feat. In 1959, Saha, the long-distance swimmer from Bengal crossed the chopping waters of the English Channel. Today, Google has honoured Saha with an exclusive doodle.
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But, many do not know that Arati was also an Olympian and had earned the distinction five years prior to crossing the channel. It all started when as a kid, Arati first took a plunge in the Ganges.
Born in North Kolkata on September 24, 1940, Arati lost her mother at the tender age of two. Father Panchugopal Saha had to mostly stay away from home because of work. It was her uncle and grandmother with whom Arati grew up and with her uncle, Arati first took a dip in the Ganges falling in love with the water.
Learning to swim and cutting through the waters came naturally to the young girl who was training under the tutelage of her uncle and it was during this time that Bijitendra Nath Bose of Hatkhola Club first spotted her and welcomed her to the club.
Hatkhola club had two legendary trainers in their camp – Sachin Nag and Jamini Das. Both started training Arati and by 1946, the kid was a regular feature in swimming competitions across the city and the state.
After the state-level meets, came the nationals and there she had to compete on a larger scale. Arati's grace and speed alongside Mumbai's Dolly Nazir used to be a feast for the eyes. Both Dolly and Arati secured their place in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics squad, representing the country. Another Bengali athlete Nilima Ghosh and Mary D'Souza were the other two female members of the squad.
The years flew and as Mihir Sen and Brajen Das crossed the Channel in 1958, Arati also decided to take the challenge. It was decided that she would be trained by both Sen and Das, but the main obstacle was funding.
Finally, the young swimmer decided to knock the doors of then chief minister Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. Initially rejected, Dr Roy finally gave in in front of the unrelenting Arati, and in 1969, she left for England with her manager Arun Gupta. Incidentally, both Saha and Gupta tied the knot later.
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The journey was not an easy one. After a month of practice in England, Arati first dived in the Channel waters on August 27. There was an initial hitch as the pilot boat came in late and Channel authorities would not allow the swimmer to proceed. After swimming for 14 hours and 10 minutes, Arati had to climb the steps of the boat near Dover. Though devastated, Arati steeled her will and again resumed her practice.
Finally, on September 29, 1959, Arati again took the plunge, but this time from Cape Gris Nez in France. Cutting through rough waves and the chilling waters of the English Channel, Arati reached Sandgate in England after 16 hours and 20 minutes, creating history as the first Asian woman to cross the Channel.
Arati was awarded the Padma Shri in 1960 and a statue was installed in the very Tarak Chatterjee Lane of North Kolkata from where she first stepped out with her uncle for the Ganges.
Later, the lane was renamed after her in 2008 and a postage stamp honouring her was also released.
Despite all this, Arati Saha, the champion swimmer of Bengal remains unremembered largely.
