Arati Saha biography Personal Life

Name	Arati Saha Gupta
Nick Name	Arati
Profession	Swimmer
Date of Birth	24 Sep 1940
Age	53
Sun Sign	Not Known
Birth Place	Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Religion	Hindu
Nationality	Indian
Hometown	Calcutta
School	Not Known
College	Not Known
Education	Intermediate
Debut

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Arati Saha Biography in Details

Aarti Saha Gupta, originally from Kolkata, West Bengal, began her swimming journey at the age of four. She was recognized and nurtured by Sachin Nag, who started shaping her talent. In 1949, Aarti achieved success at the state and national levels in swimming, setting several records in the process. She also participated in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

Born / Wiki:

Paragraph Here WriteGupta hails from a middle-class background and was born in Kolkata, India, in 1940. She is the second of three children and the first of two daughters born to Panchugopal Saha. Her father served in the armed forces. Tragedy struck when she was just two and a half years old as she lost her mother. Her elder brother and younger sister, Bharati, were raised at their maternal uncle’s house, while she was brought up by her grandmother in North Kolkata.

Career:

Between 1945 and 1951, Aarti Saha Gupta demonstrated her exceptional swimming prowess by clinching victory in 22 state-level competitions within West Bengal. Her specialties included the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter breaststroke, and 300-meter breaststroke. She often competed against Dolly Nazir of Bombay and secured second place. In 1948, Aarti participated in the national championship in Mumbai, securing silver in the 100-meter freestyle and 200-meter breaststroke, as well as bronze in the 200 meters freestyle. In 1950, she set an all-India record.

At the 1951 West Bengal state meet, she broke Dolly Nazir’s all-India record by clocking 1 minute 37.6 seconds in the 100-meter breaststroke. Additionally, she established new state-level records in the 100-meter freestyle, 200-meter freestyle, and 100-meter backstroke at the same meet.

Aarti Saha Gupta represented India at the 1952 Summer Olympics alongside fellow swimmer Dolly Nazir. At just 12 years old, she was the youngest member of the Indian contingent and one of the four women participants. In the Olympics, she competed in the 200-meter breaststroke event and recorded a time of 3 minutes 40.8 seconds during the heats. Following her Olympic journey, she focused exclusively on breaststroke swimming after experiencing a loss in the 100-meter freestyle against her sister, Bharati Saha.

Crossing the English Channel:

Arati Gupta, who hailed from a middle-class family in Kolkata, India, had a passion for long-distance swimming from a young age. Her inspiration to cross the English Channel came from Brojen Das, who became the first person from the Indian subcontinent to achieve this feat in 1958 at the Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race. Greta Andersen, a Danish-born female swimmer from the United States, was the fastest among both men and women in that race and suggested Arati’s name for the next year’s event.

Dr. Arun Gupta, the assistant executive secretary of Hatkhola Swimming Club, played a pivotal role in organizing Arati’s participation in the event. He arranged exhibitions showcasing Arati’s swimming skills as part of a fundraising effort. Several individuals, including Jamininath Das, Gour Mukherjee, and Parimal Saha, provided their support for Arati’s trip. Sambhunath Mukherjee and Ajay Ghoshal even approached Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, who allocated a grant of ₹11,000 for her journey. Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, also expressed interest in Arati’s endeavor.

While the preparations for her trip were underway, Arati devoted herself to rigorous swimming training. On April 13, 1959, she swam continuously for eight hours in the pond at Deshbandhu Park. Later, on July 24, 1959, accompanied by her manager Dr. Arun Gupta, she embarked on her journey to England. Her final practice sessions in the English Channel were conducted under the guidance of Dr. Bimal Chandra, who was also participating in the 1959 Butlin International Cross Channel Swimming Race.

The race, featuring 58 participants from 23 countries, including five women, was scheduled for August 27, 1959, at 1 a.m. local time, from Cape Gris Nez, France, to Sandgate, England. However, Arati’s pilot boat did not arrive on time, causing a delay. By 11 a.m., she had covered more than 40 miles and was within 5 miles of the English coast. Unfortunately, she encountered a strong current from the opposite direction, and by 4 p.m., she could only swim an additional two miles before having to abandon her attempt.

Undeterred, Arati prepared for a second try. Despite her manager, Dr. Arun Gupta, falling ill, she continued her training. On September 29, 1959, she made her second attempt, starting from Cape Gris Nez, France. She swam for an impressive 16 hours and 20 minutes, overcoming challenging waves and covering a total of 42 miles to reach Sandgate, England. Upon reaching the English coast, she proudly hoisted the Indian flag, and her achievement was celebrated, with prominent Indian politician Vijaylakshmi Pandit being among the first to offer her congratulations.

Awards

Her achieved significant recognition for her remarkable swimming accomplishments. She received the prestigious Padma Shri award in 1960, becoming the first Indian woman sportsperson to ever receive this honor. In 1999, the Department of Posts issued a postage stamp in her honor with a denomination of ₹3. Additionally, in 1996, a bust of Arati Saha was installed near her residence, and the 100-meter lane in front of it was renamed in her honor. On her 80th birthday in 2020, Google celebrated her legacy by featuring her as a Google Doodle.

Facts/Controversy:

In 1959, under the guidance of Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, she tied the knot with her manager, Dr. Arun Gupta. They initially had a court marriage followed by a social one. Her in-laws’ residence was located on Tarak Chatterjee Lane, in close proximity to her grandmother’s house. After their marriage, they welcomed a daughter named Archana.

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