How these two Bengaluru IT professionals swam from Sri Lanka to India in less than 11 hours

Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi

At 4.30 am, the ocean feels like an ink-black void that swallows sound and light. But it's at that precise time that Bengaluru-based IT professionals Vrushali Prasade and Danish Abdi took their first stroke in the sea. As they plunged into the sea at Talaimannar, Sri Lanka, aiming for the Indian shores of Dhanushkodithe, the silence of dawn was broken only by the rhythmic splash of their strokes. But there was something else in the waters.

The couple, who only learned to swim four years ago, covered a staggering 22 kilometres

"It was pitch dark," Prasade recalls. "Five minutes into the swim, we started to feel something hitting our legs from the bottom. It was very scary because we didn't know what it was. But as long as it was not biting or hurting, we just kept going." It was only later, reviewing the footage, that they realised they were being escorted by a school of flying fish. "It looked beautiful in the video, but in the moment, it was terrifying," she adds with a laugh.

The couple, who only learned to swim four years ago, clocked a staggering 22 kilometres in 10 hours and 45 minutes, proving that being out of the office can mean very different things to different people.

The journey from the shallow end of a pool to the Palk Strait was an 18-month-long grind. While most couples plan vacations to vineyards or beaches, Vrushali and Danish are the adventurous types. They prefer climbing mountains, competing in triathlons, and learning new skills to achieve more adventurous heights.

Prasade's motivation to swim was deeply personal. Eight years ago, a drowning incident in a pool left her feeling helpless. She vowed never to feel that way again. By 2022, the duo was at the pool five days a week, an hour before work, chasing a dream that seemed miles away.

That's what drew them to begin training with Swim Life, under the watchful eye of their coach, Satish Mohan Kumar. "We had seen other swimmers in our group accomplishing incredible things," they say. "Our coach told us that if we trained properly for 18 months, it would be possible."

Open water swimming is more than just endurance; it's also about training in tandem with nature and whatever you encounter in the seas you are planning to swim. While international swims often happen in cold waters to keep the body temperature balanced, the Palk Strait is tropical. "In warmer waters, you lose your electrolytes and salt very fast, and the sun is right on your head," they explain.

The most harrowing moment, however, wasn't the heat; it was being in a standstill. For over an hour, despite their frantic strokes, the couple didn't move a single inch. The tides had turned against them. "Psychologically, that was the hardest," Prasade shares. "We had been swimming for almost an hour and a half non-stop. We asked Coach Satish how much we had covered, and he said, ‘For the last hour, you haven't moved an inch.' We felt like, ‘Bhai, ab toh kya?' (now what?) Should we go back to Sri Lanka? It was very humbling. You realise Mother Nature has to allow you to pass." Coach Satish, who was in the boat the entire time, jumped into the water at one point to give them an extra motivational push, refusing to let them give up. What makes their story even more poignant is that they did it together. In a sport that is often solitary, the couple swam in tandem, staying within 100 to 200 meters of each other.

"Just knowing Danish was there in the water next to me made me feel much stronger," Prasade says. "When the water gets tough, and there are swells and chops, it feels much harder alone. But knowing someone else is going through the same thing gives you energy."

When they finally touched the shores of Dhanushkodi, their bodies were intact, but their faces told the story of the sea. "Our tongues and lips were swollen from 11 hours of salt water exposure," Prasade says. Her remedy? "I had four ice creams immediately after! Even during the swim, I was eating ice cubes to numb the swelling."

Now back in Bengaluru, life looks deceptively normal. After their morning workout, they are heading to their IT desks. But work is still on - the couple is already training for the English Channel, though that swim will require them to go solo, with one boat per swimmer. We wish them luck.