Young Bangalore couple to create history with first Sri Lanka-India open water swim tomorrow

Vrushali Prasade 

Danish Abdi

• In their early 30s, Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi to traverse legendary Ram Setu 19-nautical mile route from Talaimannar to Rameshwaram in nine hours 
• Reveal their excitement to take on this unique expedition with message of health and wellness
• Stress swimming is for all ages and never too late to start as it is a life skill
• Powered by Indian giant Manipal Hospitals, initiative to symbolically connect the two nations through powerful demonstration of resilience, unity, and healthcare excellence

By Nisthar Cassim

A young Bangalore-based couple will tomorrow attempt to create history by undertaking the first-ever Sri Lanka-India open water swim in an initiative championed by healthcare giant Manipal Hospitals.

Vrushali Prasade and her husband Danish Abdi, in their early 30s and working in the IT industry, are an adventurous but confident couple. Ahead of their historic attempt, the duo met with the media last week in Colombo.

The attempt is more significant given the fact that the duo learned to swim only about four years ago after first taking into waters during a holiday in the Maldives. “We were offered life vests and we questioned why we can’t swim when several European kids were enjoying the sea freely swimming,” recalled Vrushali.

The couple had previously swam the Indian Ocean waters as part of a relay team but tomorrow’s swim will be their first solo couple effort and the longest distance-wise. The duo will be professionally assisted by multiple boats, alongside paramedics and coast guards who know the route well.

“Swimming in known waters is safe,” said Danish, who identified jellyfish as the most irritating encumbrance though not life threatening.

“Swimming is for all ages whether you are a kid or in your 60s. It is never too late to start,” the duo said, referring to their own beginnings. “Swimming is a life skill and we, being in the Indian Ocean, should learn to swim and enjoy,” they added.

“We are excited to take on this unique expedition and proud to align our attempt with a message of health and wellness. This expedition stands as a powerful symbol of unity, connecting the two nations through sport, healthcare, and shared ambition,” added Vrushali and Danish, for whom it was the first visit to Sri Lanka.

In a statement, Manipal Health Chief Operating Officer Karthik Rajagopal said: “This historic swim reflects not only athletic excellence and endurance, but also the deep-rooted cultural and historical connection between India and Sri Lanka.”

He further remarked that as India continues to be one of the preferred destinations for Sri Lankan patients, this initiative also serves to reinforce India’s health-connect effort through its robust Sri Lanka patient connect through clinical support ensuring athletes’ physiological safety, cardiac endurance, and musculoskeletal preparedness.

Manipal Hospitals is the largest pan-India multi-speciality hospital network by bed capacity, boasting over 12,300. It is recognised for its advanced medical expertise, multi-specialty care, and commitment to patient-centric care, and is well connected to Sri Lanka’s medical and patient community, especially for spine and oncology services.

“More than an athletic feat, this initiative celebrates the deep cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka; a reminder that while borders may exist, there is far more that binds us together,” Rajagopal added. Group Consultant – International Healthcare Services Jithu Jose and Veena Suram, who handles branding and communication, were also present at the media interaction.

– Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe