Bhakti Sharma is a truly inspiring Indian open-water swimmer who has beaten the odds of extreme weather and bodily exhaustion to succeed in conquering open waterways around the world. She was tagged the ‘Mermaid of India’ because of the numerous international accolades that she earned through swimming in cold, sub-zero temperatures and breaking records that demonstrated remarkable human tenacity.

Who Is Bhakti Sharma?

Bhakti Sharma was born and brought up in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and was introduced to swimming at the age of two and a half under the guidance of her mother, Leena Sharma. At the age of fourteen, she moved from competition in pools to sea swimming, having done a 16-kilometre swim from Uran Port to the Gateway of India at the age of 14. With her love for open water swimming, she managed to conquer some of the best channels around the world, like the English Channel in 2006.

The Historic World Record in Antarctica

Bhakti Sharma etched her name in the annals of history in January 2015 when she became the youngest swimmer in the world and the first Asian female to undertake an open water swim in the waters of the Antarctic Ocean. This young lady swam 2.25 kilometres (1.4 miles) in 41.14 minutes at 1°C. She beat the world records set by two other great swimmers: Lewis Pugh (British swimmer) and Lynne Cox (American swimmer).

Swimming Across Five Oceans

By conquering the Antarctic Ocean, Bhakti Sharma accomplished the rare feat of swimming across all five oceans of the world:

  • Pacific Ocean

  • Atlantic Ocean

  • Indian Ocean

  • Arctic Ocean (1.8 km swim in 33 minutes in 2010)

  • Antarctic Ocean (2.25 km record swim in 2015)

    • She has also swum across eight other major seas and channels, establishing herself among elite global endurance athletes.

    How She Trained for Extreme Cold Water

    Cold water swimming demands both physiological adjustment and sheer willpower:

    • She practised in cold water pools and ice baths to build her body’s resistance against hypothermia and cold shock reactions.

  • She concentrated on building up her cardiovascular fitness and breath control to cope with muscle stiffening in the near-zero temperatures.

  • She applied meditation and visualisation techniques to endure the pain of freezing without getting panicked.

    • Awards and Achievements

    • Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (2010): Recognised by the Government of India for highest achievements in water adventure sports.

  • World Record Holder: First Asian woman and youngest worldwide to set an open-water record in Antarctica.

  • 3-Mother-Daughter Record (2008): Set an Indian record by swimming 72 km from Dharamtal to the Gateway of India and back with her mother.

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