First Woman Swimmer To Cross Seven Seas

Bula Choudhary, one name but oodles of motivation behind her. She is the former India National Women’s Swimming Champion. Bula is currently serving as a MLA for West Bengal State, India.

Call her a swimming champ or the ‘Mermaid of the Queen of Oceans’. Bula started stepping on the success ladder at the age of nine. She won six gold medals continuously in six events; challenging people not belonging to her age group. This was the first step that taught Bula where she wishes to lead in life.

Bula continued to practice rigorously and kept winning various championships at junior and national level after that. Not to forget, she is also a gold medalist of the South Asian Federation Games, 1991.

In 1989, Bula entered long-distance swimming and her keen determination made her cross the English Channel. She won 81-km, which means 50-mile. After winning the Murshidabad Long Distance Swimming Championship in 1996, she crossed the English Channel once again and turned out as a winner.

To share further, Choudhary was the first woman who swam across the sea channels off five continents. Some to name are; Gibraltar, Cook Strait, Toroneos Gulf, The Tyrrhenian Sea, and The Catalina Channel off the California Coast. She crossed those five continents in approx. 14 hours! After her life time accomplishments, Choudhary is active as she was in her young age and she wishes to open a swimming academy in Kolkata, India.

Apart from swimming, Bula also entered politics. She is elected as the member of the Communist Party of India and also the member of a Legislative Assembly. She represents the district of West Bengal.

To share the inside story of Bula, before she began her journey by swimming for South Africa, she mentioned a few words; “I have chosen this spot because I want to pay my respects to Nelson Mandela who was kept imprisoned on Robben Islands.” This is not it, she inspires us in many ways that you may see further.

This amazingly brave woman has gone through many challenges, obstacles, and has remained a fighter all throughout her life in battling various competitions. In the era of male dominated society, where women get little to express, she has come out as a true warrior. Bula is a woman of substance and a first step towards women encouragement.

Her first step towards success has brought innumerable hopes to all those women sulking inside with a passion to do something in life. I can imagine the struggle a woman goes through. From a woman to a woman, it is like winning the battle of the world and this battle begins from home. Convincing everyone for something that hasn’t been touched by anyone else is like a dream never accomplished.

Rewards

- Bula was dignified several times and in many ways for her success. She got a distinction by crossing the Seven Seas. We all know now that she is the first woman in the world to have attained this level of recognition in swimming during her time.

- She is honored with Arjuna Award, 1990

- Bula also received the most prestigious and respectable award, Padma Shri, by the honorable former president of India.