June 17, 2025 | Hubballi / Dover (UK): In a remarkable feat of endurance and national pride, a six-member Indian team named “Pride of India” successfully crossed the English Channel, swimming 48.3 kilometers in 13 hours and 37 minutes on June 16, 2025. The historic relay swim began at 2:15 AM from Samphire Hoe beach in England and concluded at Wissant Beach in France at 3:52 PM, battling freezing waters and turbulent currents.
The team comprised individuals from diverse backgrounds and states, including:
Murugesh Channannavar, 43, Police Inspector, Hubballi Rural Police Station, Karnataka
Aman Shanbhag, 21, MBBS student, KMCRI, Hubballi
Deepak Babulal Karwa, 32, IAS officer and ADC, Haryana
Ganesh Balaj, 38, a para swimmer from Andhra Pradesh
Rajbir, 36, a para swimmer from Haryana
Manav More, 20, BBA student from Mumbai, Maharashtra
The swim was conducted under the strict guidelines of the Channel Swimming Association (CSA). Each swimmer took turns as per relay rules, with CSA Observer Mr. Rob Smith, Pilot Stuart, and Arjuna Awardee and team leader Mr. Prashant Karmarkar overseeing the effort.
Despite the extreme water temperatures ranging from 13°C to 16°C, and battling strong tides and sea currents, the team displayed exceptional grit. The straight-line distance of the Channel is approximately 36 km, but due to water conditions, the team swam a total of 48.3 km.
Some members suffered from sea sickness, vomiting, and dizziness, but none of these obstacles deterred the swimmers from completing the crossing and raising the Indian national flag on foreign shores.
Inspector Murugesh Channannavar also took the opportunity to hoist the Karnataka Police flag in England, bringing honor to the state police force on an international stage.
