- Mihir Sen
-
Mihir Sen 100px Born November 16, 1930
Purulia, West Bengal, IndiaDied June 11, 1997
Kolkata, West Bengal, IndiaOccupation Swimmer Mihir Sen (November 16, 1930– June 11, 1997) was an Indian lawyer more notable for his career as a record-setting swimmer.
English channel swim
His father was a doctor in Cuttack. He went to England to prepare himself for the bar but was attracted to swim across the channel. After a few unsuccessful attempts, he became the first Indian to swim the English Channel, from Dover to Calais on September 27 1958.[1]
Other swimming activities
His next adventurous swimming expedition was from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka to Dhanuskodi in India, swimming for 25 hours 44 minutes, starting on 6 April 1966, across the Palk strait infested with poisonous snakes and sharks. He was assisted by the Indian Navy in this venture.[1] He was the first Asian to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar in 8 hours 1 min on 24 August 1966.[1] On 12 September 1966 he swam across the Dardanelles and nine days later the Bosphorous.[1]
He swam across the length of the Panama Canal in two stages. He started on 29 October 1966 and finished on 31 October, swimming for a total of 34 hours 15 minutes.[1]
Thus he swam across the seven seas of the five continents.[2]He was the first in the world to do so. He undertook and completed six of these swimming feats, all in a year in 1966! [3]
He swam more than 600km in sea/ocean water.
In 1959 he was awarded the Padma Shree, and in 1967, the Padma Bhushan.[4]
Mihir Sen was a barrister by profession, having been called to the bar in England. He was president of the Explorers Club of India. In the last stages of his life he suffered from loss of memory and lived a painful life.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Bose, Anjali, Samsad Bangali Chariutabhidhan, Vol II, (Bengali)p. 268, Sishu Sahitya Samsad Pvt. Ltd., ISBN 81-86806-99-7
- ^ "Mihir Sen Profile". Sports in India. iloveindia.com. http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/swimming/players/mihir-sen.html. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
- ^ Dharmaraja, M.K.. "India in International Sports". Features. Press Information Bureau. http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2003/fjan2003/f220120031.html. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
- ^ "Mihir Sen – salt water swimmer". wenindia123.com. http://www.webindia123.com/personal/sports/mihir.htm. Retrieved 2007-04-08.
Categories:- 1930 births
- 1997 deaths
- Indian swimmers
- Recipients of the Padma Bhushan
- Recipients of the Padma Shri
- People from Purulia district
- University of Calcutta alumni
- Sportspeople from West Bengal
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