Bula Choudhury

Born on 2nd January 1970 in Hugli (Hoogli), West Bengal, Bula Choudhury is an Indian swimmer who is known as the first woman in the world to cross seven seas and to an utter surprise, this feat was achieved in14 hours in 2005. Bula started swimming at the age of five after getting admitted to a swimming-training school. She earned her lifetime achievement by crossing off five continents including the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, Cook Strait, Toroneos Gulf (Gulf of Kassándra) in Greece, the Catalina Channel off the California coast, and from Three Anchor Bay to Robben Island near Cape Town, South Africa. For her historic accomplishments in swimming, she was bestowed with the Indian civilian award "Padma Shri".

Achievements-

• At the national swimming competition of the year 1979, Bula dominated her age group by winning six gold medals in six events.
• She crossed the English Channel in 1989 and replicated this feat in 1999.
• The Indian Government honoured her with the prestigious Arjuna Award for her commendable performance in swimming.
• In 1991, she bagged six gold medals through her supersonic performance at the South Asian Federation Games.
• Bula won the 81-km (50-mile) Murshidabad Long Distance Swim in 1996.