Setting record from Gateway of India to Atal Setu, 12-year-old Tanay makes waves in open water swimming

By Harsh Thakor

Twelve-year-old Tanay Tushar Lad from Parel made ripples in the world of open water swimming by completing a swim from the Gateway of India to Atal Setu in a record time of 2 hours, 26 minutes, and 37 seconds. While Indian swimmers may not yet be making waves at the Olympics, this young powerhouse of talent has demonstrated the potential for excellence in international open water swimming. The power and grace with which he glided through the ocean waters showcased the budding talent for ocean water swimming in India—a perfect blend of speed and endurance.

Tanay embarked on his voyage from the Gateway of India, with the tide strongly in his favor. What makes his achievement truly commendable is that he completed the route faster than the average time a professional swimmer would take for such an expedition. This was a Herculean feat, displaying phenomenal tenacity. It’s hard to imagine swimmers completing single legs of a relay in split times as quick as those achieved by this young hero. Masters Swimming champion Zarir Baliwala categorized Tanay’s performance as being in the highest bracket. As a channel swimmer myself, I rank this as a stupendous achievement, especially for a twelve-year-old.

This accomplishment is a fitting tribute to Tanay’s dedication. His journey began with intensive training at the tender age of six, commuting daily from Panvel to Palara, his training center. Tanay epitomizes the qualities of hard work and perseverance.

His training started under the guidance of former channel swimmer Rupali Repale, coinciding with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. He would begin his training at 6 a.m. and often travel to Nerul Gymkhana for practice. Tanay covered a distance of 45 km, four days a week, to undergo his rigorous training. Over five years, he trained under the mentorship of Rupali Repale and Aniruddha Mahadik at the Rupali Repale Training Centre. Rupali played an instrumental role in nurturing his talent and motivating him to reach his optimum potential. It is commendable that a past stalwart like Rupali Repale could marshal resources to inspire this generation and revive her legacy.

Tanay is a student at New Horizon Public School, which has provided him considerable support.

Among his notable accomplishments are winning silver medals in open water competitions from landmarks such as Sunk Rock to Gateway of India, Periyar Kochi, Vijaydurg, and Rarkala, as well as securing a bronze medal in the International Oceanman competition at Krabi, Thailand. With many future expeditions lined up, Tanay is a prospective candidate for numerous more laurels. He has the potential to blossom into a truly great ocean water swimmer and join the hall of fame in sea swimming. One day, he could even challenge the record times of iconic swims like the English Channel or the Palk Strait. Tanay is capable of carrying the baton of past swimmers who achieved glory in sea swimming, such as Anita Sood and Bijoy Jain.

Through this accomplishment, Tanay has continued the legacy of Indian swimmers who have made waves in ocean water swimming at a young age, like his mentor Rupali Repale and other channel swimmers such as Abhijit Rao, Naina Malahpurkar, Aarti Pradhan, and Rihen Mehta. Let us hope that he does not fade out like so many young aquatic champions of the past.

Tanay is a source of inspiration for budding swimmers, demonstrating how relentless perseverance can lead to groundbreaking achievements.

---

*Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist who swam the English Channel, Lake Zurich, and Dharamtar to Gateway of India in 1988

Comments

Tushar said…

Thank you Sir for such a inspiring article and your warm wishes 🙏🙏🙏

March 11, 2025

Adani coalmine delayed? Australian senate fails to pass crucial "reform" amendment for project's financial closure

Adanis' Mundra power plant, controversial in Australia By A Representative In what is being described as a new “new hurdle”, the proposed Adani coalmine in the Queensland state of in Australia failed to get the crucial Australian Parliamentary nod, essential for financial closure for one of the biggest coalmining projects in the world. The government lost the Senate vote 35-33, meaning the legislation won't pass until the Senate returns in mid-June.

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor* Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

Trust, we (from People to PM and President) did not take a Holy Dip in some Holy Shit!

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava I could see two deeply interlinked aspects between human and water in #MahaKumbh2025. Firstly, the HOPE that a ‘holy dip’ in the River Ganga (colloquially referred as dubki and spiritually as ‘Snan’) will cleanse oneself (especially the sins); and secondly, the TRUST that the water is pure to perform the cleansing alias living the hope. Well, I consider hope to be self-dependent while, trust is a multi-party dependent situation. The focus here is on the trust and I shall write later on hope.

Hyderabad seminar rekindles memories of the spark lit 50 years ago by students

By Harsh Thakor* History is something we constantly remember and reflect upon, but certain moments and events bring it back to our memory in a special way. For the Telugu people, and Telangana in particular, the memorial seminar held on February 20–21 was a significant occasion to recall the glorious events, transformations, leaders, and heroes of past struggles. Thousands of students rewrote the history of people's movements in Andhra Pradesh, carrying revolutionary zeal and the spirit of self-sacrifice to levels comparable to the Russian and Chinese Revolutions.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents. The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

Vadodara citizens urge authorities to adhere to environmental mandates in Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project

By A Representative A coalition of environmental activists, ecologists, and urban planners in Vadodara has issued an urgent appeal to state and municipal authorities, demanding strict compliance with court-mandated guidelines for the upcoming Vishwamitri River rejuvenation project. Scheduled to commence in March 2025, the initiative aims to mitigate flooding and restore the river, but citizens warn that current plans risk violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and jeopardizing the river’s fragile ecosystem, home to endangered species like crocodiles and Indian Softshell Turtles.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Buddhist communities in Michigan protest for Mahabodhi Temple’s return to Buddhist control

By A Representative Buddhist communities in Michigan have staged protests demanding the return of the Mahabodhi Vihara in Gaya, Bihar, India, to full Buddhist control. The Mahabodhi Temple, regarded as the holiest pilgrimage site in Buddhism, is currently managed under the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949, which grants a majority of control to non-Buddhists.

Search This Blog