Whenever life threw challenges his way, city swimmer Niranjan Mukundan kept pushing forward, proving little could hold him back. At the recent Bergen Swim Festival in Norway, Mukundan clocked an impressive 2:59 in the 200 IM, breaking the three-minute barrier and entering the world’s top five rankings. “Our target was to go below three minutes, and I clocked 2 minutes 59 seconds. Achieving that while also making it to the top five felt like everything came together,” he beams.
Behind the race lies years of persistence. For the para swimmer, the 200 IM is more than just another event. It is a relationship shaped by both progress and heartbreak. The event has been Mukundan’s main focus for nearly half a decade, though the journey has often been frustrating. “I missed an Asian Games bronze in this event by less than a second. So it’s always a love-hate relationship,” the 31-year-old swimmer says.
This year, however, he adopted a different approach. Instead of spreading his focus across multiple events, Mukundan and his team decided to concentrate solely on the 200 IM with the Asian Games in mind. The result not only paid off but also pushed him into elite global territory.
Mukundan’s entry into swimming wasn’t by choice; it was prescribed. Born with Spinal Arthritis, he underwent 19 major surgeries, including a gruelling 16-hour procedure on his spine and legs. “Doctors suggested swimming as part of rehabilitation. But somewhere along the way, I fell in love with the sport. I didn’t choose swimming, rather it chose me,” he confesses with a smile.
Within six months, he was competing and winning medals. And what began as recovery soon became his purpose. Para sport demands constant adaptation, and for Mukundan, that meant rethinking how his body works in the pool. “Each body is different. A typical swimmer uses all limbs equally and every para athlete adapts differently. For me, my upper body does most of the work,” he explains. Rather than viewing it as a limitation, he treats it as a technical challenge. “It’s about understanding what your body needs and adapting to it.
Water itself becomes your biggest ally – it gives you the pressure and support to move faster,” he shares his approach.
Behind the national record of 2.59 finish lies a demanding routine. His days begin early, with multiple swim sessions stretching from morning to evening, including long hours in the pool, recovery periods and strength work – leaving little room for anything in between. “It’s repetitive; we train every single day. In athlete language, it’s ‘boring’, but that’s what builds performance,” he laughs.
Mukundan is also part of a new generation of athletes embracing technology and AI-driven training. From stroke analysis to recovery tracking, data plays a major role in refining his performance. It’s the training stints abroad that have exposed him to advanced systems, including controlled environments that simulate altitude and oxygen variation. “These tools help us understand how the body responds – everything from stroke efficiency to recovery,” he says. Still, on the overuse of AI, he adds, “It is powerful, but it depends on how you use it. If you rely on it too much, it can become a distraction.”
Training out of Bengaluru – often regarded as a hub for Indian swimming – Mukundan also acknowledges the ecosystem of athletes and infrastructure here. However, he points out a persistent gap. “We have talent, we have facilities. What we still need is more public support – people coming out, encouraging, following the sport,” he concludes.