📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Rambaran Pal
Sports
Baitul’s Disabled Swimmer Rambaran Pal Crosses English Channel in 21 Hours, Raising Indian Flag
✍️ Amar Ujala · Madhya Pradesh
🗓 26 Sep 2026, 01:31 PM
👁 12
Vikram Award‑winning swimmer Rambaran Pal from Baitul completed a nonstop 42‑km swim from Dover to France in 21 hours 20 minutes, hoisting the Indian tricolour at the finish.
Baitul’s renowned disabled swimmer Rambaran Pal, a recipient of Madhya Pradesh’s Vikram Award, achieved a historic milestone by swimming across the English Channel. Starting from Dover, England, he maintained a continuous stroke for 21 hours and 20 minutes, covering more than 42 kilometres to reach the French shoreline.
The feat was completed without any assistance, and Pal unfurled the Indian national flag upon touching land in France, symbolising both personal perseverance and national pride. His achievement marks the first time a swimmer with a disability from India has successfully completed the Channel crossing.
Officials from the Channel Swimming Association verified the duration and distance, confirming that Pal adhered to all safety protocols throughout the attempt. The swimmer’s family and local supporters in Madhya Pradesh celebrated the accomplishment, calling it a source of inspiration for athletes across the country.
The swim, which began early on a calm morning in Dover, was monitored by a team of volunteers who provided real‑time updates to media outlets. Pal’s successful crossing is expected to encourage greater participation of differently‑abled athletes in endurance sports.
Rambaran Pal plans to use this momentum to promote swimming programs for people with disabilities in his home state, aiming to create more opportunities for inclusive sports development.
The feat was completed without any assistance, and Pal unfurled the Indian national flag upon touching land in France, symbolising both personal perseverance and national pride. His achievement marks the first time a swimmer with a disability from India has successfully completed the Channel crossing.
Officials from the Channel Swimming Association verified the duration and distance, confirming that Pal adhered to all safety protocols throughout the attempt. The swimmer’s family and local supporters in Madhya Pradesh celebrated the accomplishment, calling it a source of inspiration for athletes across the country.
The swim, which began early on a calm morning in Dover, was monitored by a team of volunteers who provided real‑time updates to media outlets. Pal’s successful crossing is expected to encourage greater participation of differently‑abled athletes in endurance sports.
Rambaran Pal plans to use this momentum to promote swimming programs for people with disabilities in his home state, aiming to create more opportunities for inclusive sports development.