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Arati Saha was an Indian swimmer who became the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel on 29 September 1959. After his success, she was awarded the Padma Shri in 1960.
Arati Saha Biography
Arati Saha was born on 24 September 1940 in a middle-class Bengali-Hindu family in Kolkata. Her father was in the army and she lost her mother when she was young. Arati Saha was raised by his grandmother. At the age of 4, she used to go to Champatala Ghat to bathe with her uncle and learned to swim from there.
His father recognized his interest in swimming and got him admitted to Hatkhola Swimming Club for proper training. There she was spotted by Asian Games gold medalist Sachin Nag, who, seeing Saha’s natural inclination towards the sport, decided to train him under his guidance. Soon after, his career took off.
In 1946, at the age of just 5, Aarti won the gold medal in 110 yards freestyle in the Shailendra Memorial Swimming Competition. Between 1946 and 1951, Aarti participated in several state-level swimming competitions, during which she won around 22 medals.
In 1951, she clocked 1 min 37.6 s in 100 m breaststroke, breaking Dolly Nazir’s all-India record. She used to participate in long-distance swimming competitions in the Ganges.
On 24 July 1959, she went to England with her manager Dr. Arun Gupta. A total of 58 participants, including five women, from 23 countries participated in the competition. The race was set for 27 August 1959.
On 29 September 1959, she made a second attempt. In her second attempt, she became the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel.
| Name | Arati Saha |
| Real name | Arati Saha Gupta |
| Date of Birth | 24 September 1940 |
| Birth Place | Kolkata, (India) |
| Date of death | 23 August 1994 |
| Father Name | Panchugopal Saha |
| Achievement | 1959 – The first Indian female swimmer to cross the English Channel |
| Profession / Country | Female / Swimmer / India |
Arati Saha Physical Status
| Eye Color | Black |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Weight | 56 Kg |
| Height | Not Know |
| Figure Measurements | 36 – 28 – 34 |
| Bra Size | 36 B |
| Tattoo | Not Know |
Arati Saha Family
| Marital Stats | Married |
| Husband / Spouse | Dr. Arun Gupta |
| Children | Daughter – Archana Gupta Son – Not Know |
| Parents Sibling | Mother – Not Know Father – Panchugopal Saha Brother – Not Know Sister – Bharti Saha |
Arati Saha Facts
Saha was inspired by Bangladeshi swimmer Brojan Das, who in 1958 became the first Asian to swim across the English Channel.
In 1960, she became the first Indian sportsperson to be awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor in India.
In 1999, the Indian Postal Department celebrated his victory by issuing a Rs 3 postage stamp in his name.
She married Dr. Arun Gupta. They had a daughter named Archana.
Arati Saha Death
On 4 August 1994, she was admitted to a private nursing home in Kolkata. She died due to illness after 19 days on 23 August 1994.
