Kochi: Nivedita, 5, of Aluva on Tuesday took a plunge into record books when she swam across the Periyar river, overcoming swirling waters and exhaustion to probably become the youngest to achieve the feat. Accompanied by Saji Valasseril, her swimming coach, the tiny tot completed the 600-metre swim between Adwaithasramam and Manalpuram in just 25 minutes to the applause of hundreds of onlookers.
Nivedita, a UKG student of Guardian Angels' Public School, Manjummal, used to accompany her father, E.S. Sucheendran, whenever his elder daughter Devanandana, an eighth standard student, went to Aluva Manapuram to attend Saji's swimming classes. He later decided to enrol his younger daughter too seeing her passion. In June last year, Saji had helped a visually impaired boy, Navaneeth, 12, to swim across the same stretch. However, swimming experts, while lauding her ‘extraordinary feat,’ cautioned against such attempts warning that often the small children would have to go through a gruelling and strenuous training for months together for such attempts.
“The question is whether they can take in such intensive training at an early age. Often they fail to sustain the same efforts and do not make it to the top level while growing up. The case of four-year-old Budhia Singh who made history when he ran from Bhubaneswar to Puri, a distance of 65 km, in seven hours and two minutes, is an example,” said former international swimmer Wilson Cherian. Her coach Saji, however, defended the attempt. “It will inspire many to take swimming lessons. Periyar has been witnessing an increase in the number of drowning deaths. The girl wanted to tell the world that through dedication and hard work, anybody could achieve such feats,” he said.
Saji, who had trained over 600 students, said all precautionary measures, including the service of expert divers, were taken during the attempt. Dr Sankar Ram of Rajiv Gandhi Sports Medicine Centre here says media should avoid giving publicity to such events like the one that happened in Aluva. When contacted for reaction on the event, Dr Sankar Ram told DC that wide coverage in the media could encourage other children for such adventures which might even turn into misadventure. “Some children may have that extra ability and endurance for swimming or running. There may be children who regularly swim in lakes and streams in their neighbourhood. Once media gives wide publicity, you cannot blame the kids if they try to emulate the same feat,” he said.
“In the case of the child who swam across Periyar, I dont know whether they took the permission of the authorities. In normal case they should have taken permission of authorities concerned especially when it involves a five year old child. Moreover, all rescue and safety requirements have to be put in place before such events which involve huge risk are permitted,” he said. Dr Sankar Ram said the media should scroll the warning while showing any adventure event asking viewers not to emulate as it was being performed only by professionals.
