Who was the first Indian woman to swim across the English Channel?

Arati Saha (1940-1994), a swimmer from Kolkata, became the first Indian woman (and the first Asian woman) to swim across the English Channel, on 29 September 1959. She swam from Cap Gris-Nez in France to Sandgate in England, covering about 67 km (because of currents) in 16 hours and 20 minutes.

About Arati Saha:

• She was born on 24 September 1940 in Calcutta (Kolkata).
• She started swimming at the age of four in the Hooghly river and was trained at the Hatkhola Swimming Club.
• At the age of 11, she took part in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, as one of the first Indian women swimmers at the Olympics, along with Dolly Nazir.
• She was inspired by Mihir Sen, the first Indian to swim across the English Channel (1958), who encouraged her to try.
• Her first attempt failed, but she succeeded on her second attempt about a month later.
• In 1960, she became the first Indian sportswoman to receive the Padma Shri.
• In 1998, India Post issued a postage stamp in her honour, and in 2020, Google honoured her with a Google Doodle on her 80th birth anniversary.

Other Indian Channel swimmers:

• Mihir Sen: the first Indian and first Asian man to swim the English Channel (1958).
• Bula Chaudhury: swam the English Channel twice (1989 and 1999) and later crossed the "seven seas"; she received the Padma Shri and Arjuna Award.
• Anita Sood: swam the English Channel twice (1987 and 1988).
• Rupali Repale: one of the youngest Indian girls to cross the Channel (1990), at the age of 12.

The English Channel separates England and France and is about 33 km wide at its narrowest point, the Strait of Dover. The first person to swim it was Captain Matthew Webb (1875), and the first woman was Gertrude Ederle (1926).

Why not the other options?

• ✗Bula Chaudhury swam the Channel twice, later than Arati Saha.
• ✗Anita Sood swam the Channel in 1987 and 1988.
• ✗Rupali Repale was one of the youngest Indian Channel swimmers (1990).