JOIN USGoogle Doodle honours Olympic Indian swimmer Arati Saha
Google is known for commemorating holidays, events, achievements, and notable historical figures through its creative doodles. Featuring in today’s Google Doodle is Indian swimmer Arati Saha. But why is Google honouring her on her 80th birth anniversary?
A #GoogleDoodle for Indian swimmer Arati Saha, who was the:
— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) September 24, 2020
🌊1st Asian woman to swim across the English Channel
🇮🇳 Youngest member on the 1st Olympic team to represent India
🏅 1st woman to receive the Padma Shri award
🎨by guest artist Lavanya Naidu → https://t.co/z4HbzzbKok pic.twitter.com/usBWkTNRQ6
Arati Saha is a groundbreaking Indian long-distance swimmer and Olympian who became the first Asian woman to cross the English Channel. She swam 42 miles from Cape Gris Nez, France, to Sandgate, England.
She was born in Kolkata, on this day, in 1940.
Shah’s doodle was also drawn by Kolkata-based artist Lavanya Naidu.
Saha started swimming at an early age of four and went on to set an all-India record in 1949, breaking Dolly Nazir's all-India record in a 1951 West Bengal state meet. Later Saha, along with Nazir, represented India in the 1952 Summer Olympics.
The Indian Postal Department honoured her achievements in 1999 by releasing a Rs 3 postal stamp.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to today’s Google Doodle:
Remembering #AratiSaha on her 80th birth anniversary, the first Asian woman to swim across the English Channel! In 1960, she was awarded the #PadmaShri and became the first Indian sportswoman to receive it!
— Rajiv Kumar 🇮🇳 (@RajivKumar1) September 24, 2020
India is proud to call her our daughter. pic.twitter.com/ncRfJRrQBz
We honour Arati Saha on her birth anniversary today. 🏊♀️
— All India Mahila Congress (@MahilaCongress) September 24, 2020
She was the first Asian to swim across the English Channel, way back in 1959.
Her determination earned her the first Padma Shri awarded to any sportswoman in India. pic.twitter.com/DPKzeVD6oH