UDUPI: As the clock announces the onset of dawn one Sunday, over 15 enthusiastic early-risers converge at Devarakere, a lake near Kadekar village of Udupi district. These are students learning the skills of one of the most basic requirements for maintaining good health and increasing survivability – swimming – from Gangadhar G Kadekar. The lake, which was rejuvenated about 10 years ago, is where the 66-year-old Gangadhar imparts swimming lessons to his students, along with certain essential life skills.
Once the students arrive at the lake, they have a well-laid out routine. Irrespective of their age or background, each grabs a mop and tidies up the spacious staircase around the lake once a week and makes sure that the waterbody is clean and disinfected. And then they dive in.
Gangadhar has taught young children as well as women aged above 55. Vineesh, a Class 4 student from a school in Brahmavara has learnt swimming in just a few weeks. Rahul from Ambalapady was speech-impaired, but the 13-year-old learnt swimming from Gangadhar about four years back, while a Muslim girl who suffered from autism also learnt swimming from him. Her parents are happy as their doctor had advised them that their daughter must take up swimming to improve her condition.
A proponent of swimming as a hobby, Gangadhar says the sport helps one relax physically and mentally. “I suggest to everyone that meets me to include just an hour of swimming in their daily routine to improve their physical and mental fitness,” he added.
Accordingly, Gangadhar has registered his swimming club, and named it after ‘Jai Durga Swimming Club’, Kadekar, Udupi. All students who want to join his classes must fill up a form. Their parents have to give an undertaking in writing that rules, regulations, and dress code of the swimming club will be followed. Gangadhar, however, does not charge anything for his swimming lessons.
“After I observed that unfortunately, many youngsters are drowning in the sea in this region, I thought it best to inculcate in them swimming skills, which is a prerequisite for survival in these parts,” Gangadhar told The New Sunday Express. He teaches the students with utmost dedication and commitment.
Most of his students are upbeat about their chance to learn swimming from a great coach for free, otherwise they have to cough up a monthly fee of more than Rs 3,000 at private clubs. Lavanya, a student who is employed in the Revenue Department, tells TNSE that she was able to improve her swimming skills in the lake.
Watershed moment
Interestingly, Gangadhar took to serious swimming when he was 50 years old, having set some international records thereafter. On January 24, 2021, handcuffed and legs shackled, he swam 3.5 km from Padukere in 5 hours and 35 minutes and entered the Golden Book of World Records.. He also made it to the India Book of Records by swimming 1.4 km in 73.7 minutes with his legs in the ‘Padmasana’ position in the sea at Padukere on January 24, 2022.
As a coach, Gangadhar trains his students in the various known styles -- freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and the butterfly. Training in a lake or pond is more intense and challenging, which helps students become confident swimmers. Chandra Kunder, vice president of Jai Durga Swimming Club, said that many of their students have competed at several competitions. Gangadhar’s classes are held from 6.30 am to 8.30 am, except on Fridays.
Man of many depths
Gangadhar completed his B.Com in 1979 from Milagres College, Kallianpur, and worked as an FDA in RTO
He completed his LLB from Vaikunta Baliga College of Law, Udupi, in 1984
Learning the basics of swimming in his childhood, he mastered it after turning 50
His wife, Padmavathi, a B.Com graduate, is a homemaker; his son, Manohar, is a good swimmer and football player