The Hindu : Swimming to glory in a sack

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Swimming to glory in a sack

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM June 8. Twenty-one-year-old Ratheesh Kumar from Karunagapally is an ace swimmer who takes to the water like a duck. But he is not satisfied. He wants his swimming talents coated with a spirit of adventure and to begin with he has used a sack for that.

The feat is unique. The young man gets himself bound in a sack with only his feet and head protruding. But the feet too are bound. The sack, with hands tucked inside, is fastened with ropes. Then, as hundreds of persons stand agape and try swallowing a lump in their throats, Ratheesh dives into the depths of the Ashtamudi lake.

In scenes reminiscent from the classic novel "The Count of Monte Cristo'' the sack with the youngster inside safely reaches the opposite bank which is quite some distance. Ratheesh maintains his balance on the waters and reaches the opposite bank only by paddling his feet.

The onlookers then disperse and forget all about it since, for them, it is just another free wayside entertainment not worth any recognition beyond having the patience to stand there and watch it.

But Ratheesh pursues something more through the waters. His ambition is to convert his talents into owning a record. For the time being the Mumbai Strait is his calculation for that. Bound in the same sack, he cherishes the dream of swimming across the Mumbai Strait and creating a record.

Ratheesh says that he is waiting for the right sponsor.

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Swimming to glory in a sack