The Legendary Salt Water Swimmer: Mihir Sen

Mihir Sen is the first Asian to cross the English Channel. He was born on 16th November 1930 in Purulia West Bengal. By profession he was a Lawyer. He crossed the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 1958. He is the only man to achieve the milestone of swimming the Oceans of the five continents in one calendar year in 1966. After his achievement he became an extra ordinary salt water swimmer.

In the year of 1966 he crossed the Palk Strait, followed by Gibralter Dar-E-Daniyal, Wasphorus and Panama. By that he made a record of swimming the longest distance. His early life was indulged in extreme poverty; however, he never gave up hope. Mihir Sen got inspired to swim by Florence Chadwick, the first American woman to swim the English Channel in 1950. After a few unsuccessful attempts he crossed the English Channel on 27 September, 1958 in just 14 hours and 45 minutes. After returning to India he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1959 by Prime Minister Nehru.

He became the first Indian to swim across the Palk Straits on 5–6 April 1966. On September 1966 Sen became the world's first man to swim across the 40-mile long Dardanelles (Gallipoli, Europe to Sedulbahir, Asia Minor). He was awarded "Padma Bhushan" in1967. He made India proud by creating records. His name is in the Guinness Book of World Record.

By: Anita Aishvarya

Content: en.wikipedia.org