The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : This MLA is an ace swimmer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 07, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Others

This MLA is an ace swimmer

B.V.S. Bhaskar

RARE FEAT: Rajahmundry MLA R. Suryaprakash Rao on yogasana in the river.

Rajahmundry: He is not Mihir Sen, the first Indian who swam across English Channel. But, he is a VIP with a similar interest.

Rowtu Suryaprakasha Rao, Rajahmundry MLA, has a special routine each day: swimming across the mighty Godavari river for about an hour. Only family members and close friends know about his unusual routine.

Afraid of water

Mr. Rao took to swimming about nine years ago in order to get rid of persistent backache.

Doctors had suggested surgery. At age 40 he weighed 104 kg. He opted for yoga and swimming.

"From a young age I was afraid of water. But I opted for swimming in order to develop resistance and get rid of my pain," he said.

He was given initial lessons in a swimming pool before his coach, Suribabau, took him to the Godavari.

"My first preference is swimming. If the Chief Minister or the Governor comes, first I receive them and then rush to the Godavari as early as possible," he adds.

Tense wait

It is a tense wait for the MLA's securitymen on the banks of the river until he emerges. But one gunman says there is no threat to the MLA from any quarter as he is liked by one and all.

Mr. Suryaprakasha Rao swims 3 km up and down between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and says he enjoys every stroke of it.

Also, it gives him enough strength to serve people for the next 16 to 18 hours.

Mr. Rao's family is in the onion and potato trading business and into cinema exhibition.

But swimming, it would seem, gives the politician-businessman the real power and the drive.

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