Palk Strait ace makes a splash with ‘Swim, Kerala, Swim’
KOCHI: It is often presumed that those living in a place with abundant water bodies would be innately adept at swimming. However, a look at the number of those who have drowned in Kerala, which is renowned for its rivers, lakes and ponds, indicates a starkly different tale.
In an effort to remedy this dilemma, S P Muraleedharan, an ace swimmer, has tied up with local self-government bodies to teach swimming to anyone who is interested. The Alappuzha native initially took to swimming as a means to earn a living. “At 21, I came to Mumbai searching for a job. However, my lack of good education and poor language skills were barriers to landing a job,” recalls Muraleedharan.
“After much struggle, I finally got one as a swimming pool cleaner at the Juhu Gymkhana luxury club in Mumbai.” That was the start. “Soon, I became proficient in professional swimming technique and eventually got to train Bollywood celebrities and star kids,” adds Muraleedharan.
His tryst with long-distance swimming began in the Vembanad Lake in 2001. A decade later, Muraleedharan made headlines as he became the first Malayali to swim the Palk Strait in 2011.After coming across news reports every other day about drowning incidents in the state, Muraleedharan decided to come up with the ‘Swim, Kerala, Swim’ project.
“Every year, about 2,000 people, both children and adults, drown in Kerala. The number might be even higher than this. So I realised that it is imperative that we equip our children and youth with at least basic swimming skills,” he says.
Muraleedharan’s project sees the inclusion of gram panchayats and civic bodies. “The first class under the project was launched at Cherai with 60 students. I make use of the temple ponds, swimming pools and other waterbodies to train the participants,” says the 46-year-old.
Participants are not just taught swimming techniques, but also floating and rising from the deep, two skills that will come in handy in keeping oneself from drowning. “The class is for 21 days. The training is free, and the swimming suits for the children are sponsored either by the LSGs or individuals,” Muraleedharan adds. The next class will be held at Cherthala and is being sponsored by the panchayat. Muraleedharan hopes to conduct similar classes across the state.