The Hindu : International : Crossing the seven seas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 16, 2004

International

International

Crossing the seven seas

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, AUG. 15. For Bula Chowdhury, who dominated the competitive aquatic pools as a short-distance champion, crossing the seven seas has been a long-held fascination.

She says: "My dream is to cross the seven seas. In West Bengal [where she hails from], there is a story that there will one day be a prince who can cross the seven seas and swim the 13 rivers. From the time I heard it, I wanted to cross the seven seas. No one has done this. It will be a world record."

Having crossed the other major channels, Bula is all set to swim across the "seventh sea" — the Palk Strait, separating India and Sri Lanka. She had initially planned to cross it in 1990. "But at that time there were problems between India and Sri Lanka, so I forgot about it."

Over the next few days, the practice sessions will begin — in the ocean a few hundred yards from the shore here. On August 20, Bula will plunge into the deep, salty waters off Sri Lanka's northern Talaimannar coast from where she will try to make it for Dhanushkodi on the Indian coast, 17 nautical miles away "under 12 hours."

Alongside her would be naval surveillance boats to indicate the course, as one wrong turn would mean getting lost in the dark blue expanse. Also, watching her from one of the boats will be her husband and former national swimming captain, Sanjib Chakraborty, and two observers, one each from India and Sri Lanka.

With a searing ambition to set a record that "will take a long time to break," Bula has maintained a tough workout regimen, including swimming against the current in rivers and improving her endurance in the sea off Puri.

Wearing the blazer of Sahara, her corporate employer, she says her company's encouragement is a factor that has kept her going.

On the shift from short-distance to long haul, the 34-year-old says: "I have a fickle mind. I suddenly think I want to do this, forgetting my age. But I stick to it and achieve it."

Role model

As a child, Anita Sood, ace swimmer of yesteryears, was Bula's idol. "She was the national champion and I told myself: `someday I will beat her.' Now I have become an idol. I have become a role model and for that, you have to work hard. You just can't sit at home."

Bula wants to swim in all five continents. "This will be the fourth. One more is left — the African continent." An invitation from South Africa, to swim from Robin Island to Cape Town, is on the table.

Another of her dreams is to start an academy.

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