Why learning swimming should be a survival skill and not leisure activity

Rescuers often face challenges, such as lack of equipment, which makes knowing swimming essential

In urban India, swimming is seen as more of a relaxing activity one partakes in on holidays, rather than a survival skill that people should know. Lack of public pools and swimming infrastructure in our cities, means that most of us miss out on knowing this basic requirement. For instance, in Mumbai there are only about 13 functional BMC pools, most of which are afflicted by issues such as improper chlorine levels, inadequate lifeguards, irregular ambulance services, and so on. Thus, it leaves swimming as a skill limited to affluent urban Indians, who can afford to send their children to schools with pools and private swimming facilities. This leads to a major problem - according to data by the National Crime Records Bureau, more than 38,000 people died because of drowning in 2022 alone, which means that around every 15 minutes, an Indian dies because they can't swim.

Sharvari Desai, a 36-year-old swimmer who has been learning at a private facility for the past year, says that a near-drowning experience led to her fearing water. "Once, I was at a swimming pool with some of my friends," she narrates "when I was playing and was pulled down into the pool. That time, water went into my mouth," But Desai took it as a challenge, and learned swimming, and also enrolled her child for classes.

While Indians living near coastal areas and rivers may know how to swim, most urban Indians lack this basic skill. Pics/iStock

Saanvi Bhargava, who represented Madhya Pradesh in the National Swimming Championship in 2019 and has been swimming since she was six, admits that swimming is not an accessible activity for most people. "I wouldn't say swimming is accessible for everyone to learn," she explains "especially since we have a lot of class disparity. Someone else who might not have the opportunity of being in a private school like I was would find it difficult to learn how to swim. In my city, the government schools did not have swimming pools." She believes that the way swimming is taught is also important, as every learner is different.
Seasoned swimmers warn that overconfidence is also a reason people endanger themselves. Often, people can be distracted by taking photos and videos and may end up in an accident. One of the most popular yet the most dangerous places to swim in Mumbai are the numerous beaches, such as Girgaon, Juhu, Aksa and so on. The ocean is an unpredictable place, with currents that can pull people in and uneven land which can be a hazard. Ignoring warning flags put up by authorities, people sometimes go in the water alone and at dangerous hours. Intense crowding on the weekends and public holidays such as Republic Day, which is right around the corner, can lead to a hazardous environment. Add the effects of intoxicants, coupled with swimming inexperience, and you have an accident waiting to happen.

"Swimming is one of the most important skills for anyone to learn," believes Satish Kumar M, the Vice President of the Swimming Federation of India. "Firstly, it is very important safety-wise. You can save yourself. Secondly, it is a very good form of exercise, and lastly, it is also an enjoyable experience." He says that anyone can learn swimming at any age, and that awareness amongst parents has also increased to teach their children to swim. "It just takes a will. If you really want to learn how to swim, there's no limit of age or time. You just have to find a place that is suitable for you to learn. And once you learn, it's an investment for life."