Why Kutraleeshwaran gave up swimming, and how he’s giving back now
The Hindu
A once star-swimmer of the Nineties, Kutraleeshwaran gave up his passion in pursuit of a certain lifestyle. Through his latest venture, he is now giving it all back to the sport
Perched atop a docked boat, Kutraleeshwaran Ramesh looks pensively at the sea. It has been a few years since he visited Chennai’s Marina Beach, an all-too familiar place that gave him a shot at fame when he was just nine. Back then in the Nineties, as a child who loved being in the water, Kutral took part in a five-kilometre swimming competition at sea. “I came fourth,” he recalls, “After finishing it, I started building sand castles. People were curious; I had accomplished something phenomenal at such a young age and yet was nonchalantly playing.” Kutral remembers this incident distinctly for it was a turning point in his life. Until then, he mostly swam in pools and felt too “bored”. Swimming soon took over his life and he was hailed a child prodigy: Kutral swam the English channel when he was 12, entered the Guinness World Records for swimming across six straits within a calendar year and represented the country at several international competitions.More Related News