A Mermaid (Jalpari) from Calcutta
She was born in 1940 in Calcutta. Her mother died when she was two years old. Her father served in the armed forces and was rarely home, so she was raised by her grandmother in North Calcutta.When she was only four, her uncle took her to Champatala Ghat for a bath. She refused to leave the water. So, her father enrolled her at the Hatkhola Swimming Club, where coach Sachin Nag spotted her talent and took her under his wing.
In July 1952, she stood at the edge of the pool at the Helsinki Summer Olympics. She was only twelve years old, the youngest Indian Olympian in history and one of only four women in the entire Indian contingent.
In 1959, she decided to cross the English Channel, forty-two miles of freezing, choppy water often called the Mount Everest of swimming.
She was 18 years old and had almost no money. The West Bengal Government's grant of Rs 11,000/- helped her to make the attempt.
Her first attempt on 27th August failed. She swam for more than 16 hours and came within five miles of the English coast before a powerful current forced her back.
She did not return home.
On 29th September 1959, she entered the water again. She swam for 16 hours and 20 minutes before reaching the English coast, and the first thing she did was hoist the Indian tricolour.
At that time, she was 19 years old. She had become the first Asian woman to cross the English Channel.
In 1960, she became the first Indian sportswoman to receive the Padma Shri.
She left the world in 1994 at the age of 53. Five years later, India issued a postage stamp in her memory.
Once she was very famous in India. Now, most Indians have forgotten her.
She was Arati Saha, nicknamed as Mermaid (Jalpari) from Calcutta.
