Kutraleeswaran
Encyclopedia
Kutral Ramesh is an Indian swimmer, popularly known as Kutraleeswaran, born and brought up in Tamil Nadu
, went on to become a marathon swimmer.
He swam across English Channel
in 1994 when he was just 13 years old. That very same calendar year, he swam across 6 channels to break Mihir Sen
’s record of swimming across 5 channels in a calendar year.
Kutral’s name was included in Guinness Book of World Records for this feat. Kutral went on to win Arjuna Award
in 1996.
A lesson on Kutraleeswaran in Tamil State Board text book India.
, Tamil Nadu. He was born to Ramesh, an advocate at Madras High Court
and his wife Sivakami, a home maker. His family moved to Chennai when he was just 1 month old. Kutral did his schooling in DAV, Gopalapuram
, Chennai, holds an engineering degree from College of Engineering, Guindy
at Chennai, masters from University of Texas at Dallas
, and pursuing MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management
.
He took part in many district & state-level contests. At the age of 10, he took part in 5 km swimming competition in the sea. Though youngest participant, he managed to get fourth place and this event turned to be stepping stone in his swimming career in 1991.
He first swam across the Palk Strait
, which lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka
by end of April 1994. After completing Palk, with help of Tamil Nadu state government, he went on to cross the English Channel
on 15 August 1994.
He swam across Rottnest Channel in Australia
, Straits of Messina at Italy
, and Zannone Circeo at Italy. Finally, he crossed the Ten Degree Channel
on December 30, at the end of calendar year.
Thus he swam across the six channels, all in a year 1994 and included in Guinness Book of World Records for this feat.
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, went on to become a marathon swimmer.
He swam across English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in 1994 when he was just 13 years old. That very same calendar year, he swam across 6 channels to break Mihir Sen
Mihir Sen
Mihir Sen was an Indian lawyer more notable for his career as a record-setting swimmer.- English channel swim :...
’s record of swimming across 5 channels in a calendar year.
Kutral’s name was included in Guinness Book of World Records for this feat. Kutral went on to win Arjuna Award
Arjuna award
The Arjuna Awards were instituted in 1961 by the government of India to recognize outstanding achievement in National sports. The award carries a cash prize of 500,000, a bronze statuette of Arjuna and a scroll....
in 1996.
A lesson on Kutraleeswaran in Tamil State Board text book India.
Early life
Kutral was born in ErodeErode
Erode is a city, a municipal corporation and the headquarters of Erode district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is situated at the center of the South Indian Peninsula, about southwest from the state capital Chennai and on the banks of the rivers Cauvery and Bhavani, between 11° 19.5"...
, Tamil Nadu. He was born to Ramesh, an advocate at Madras High Court
Madras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
and his wife Sivakami, a home maker. His family moved to Chennai when he was just 1 month old. Kutral did his schooling in DAV, Gopalapuram
Gopalapuram
Gopalapuram is a prime residential and commercial locality in Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.-Location:The geographical coordinates of Gopalapuram is 13° 2' 50" North and 80° 15' 28" East. Nungambakkam, Royapettah, Mylapore, Teynampet are neighboring localities. It is located one kilometer east of...
, Chennai, holds an engineering degree from College of Engineering, Guindy
College of Engineering, Guindy
College of Engineering, Guindy in Chennai, India, is India's oldest engineering and technical institution, having been established in 1794. Today it is one of the four constituent colleges of Anna University, Chennai....
at Chennai, masters from University of Texas at Dallas
University of Texas at Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, also referred to as UT Dallas or UTD, is a public research university in the University of Texas System. The main campus is in the heart of the Richardson, Texas, Telecom Corridor, north of downtown Dallas...
, and pursuing MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management
MIT Sloan School of Management
The MIT Sloan School of Management is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
.
Career
He began his swimming at the age of 7. His first attempt at the district level swimming contest. It is called the “Ribbon Meet”. The reason it is called a ribbon meet is because the top 6 out of the 8 district level finalists get a ribbon. In that contest he got sixth position and a ribbon.He took part in many district & state-level contests. At the age of 10, he took part in 5 km swimming competition in the sea. Though youngest participant, he managed to get fourth place and this event turned to be stepping stone in his swimming career in 1991.
1994 - English Channel swim
In 1994, his next swimming expedition was to surpass Mihir Sen's record of completing five channels in a calendar year and unbroken for over 30 years.He first swam across the Palk Strait
Palk Strait
Palk Strait is a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Mannar district of the Northern Province of the island nation of Sri Lanka. It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Palk Bay and thence with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest. The strait is wide. Several...
, which lies between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
by end of April 1994. After completing Palk, with help of Tamil Nadu state government, he went on to cross the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
on 15 August 1994.
He swam across Rottnest Channel in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Straits of Messina at Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Zannone Circeo at Italy. Finally, he crossed the Ten Degree Channel
Ten Degree Channel
The Ten Degree Channel is a channel that separates the Andaman Islands from the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The two sets of islands together form the Indian Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands....
on December 30, at the end of calendar year.
Thus he swam across the six channels, all in a year 1994 and included in Guinness Book of World Records for this feat.
1995–1998
After setting the record, He started taking part in competitions all over the world. Between 1995 and 1998, he was the only participant from Asia of the 25 swimmers selected across the world for the World Series in Swimming. He represented India in over 6 competitions around the Globe and won medals for India, which includes the 1st prize in Switzerland. He was awarded Arjuna Award by the Indian Government for bringing laurels to the country and for the Guinness Record in 1996Sources
- http://www.rediff.com/freedom/2709free.htm
- http://www.chennaispider.com/resources/2247-Kutraleeswaran.aspx
- http://www.rediff.com/sports/2005/oct/06spec.htm
- http://expressbuzz.com/sport/competitive%20swimming/64645.html
- http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/06/03/stories/2004060300950400.htm
- http://www.sportsinfotn.com/start.asp?vdomain=11&vpage=Arjunaaward.htm