A Bengaluru-based couple has scripted history in Indian open-water swimming by completing a challenging swim from Sri Lanka to India along the historic Ram Setu route. IT professionals Danish Abdi and Vrushali Prasade became the first couple to successfully complete the side-by-side crossing across the Palk Strait.
The duo began their journey from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka at around 4:30 am on May 7 and reached Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu at approximately 3:15 pm, completing the nearly 32-kilometre expedition in 10 hours and 45 minutes.
Videos shared from the expedition captured the couple navigating extremely difficult conditions in the open sea. The swimmers were seen battling rough waves, unpredictable winds and strong ocean currents that repeatedly pushed them away from their intended course.
One of the clips showed Abdi preparing to enter the dark waters before sunrise, while later visuals documented the pair swimming for hours through turbulent seas before finally reaching the Indian coast.
The expedition was carried out under tight safety supervision. Support boats accompanied the swimmers throughout the route, while paramedics and personnel from the Indian Coast Guard monitored the crossing to ensure their safety.
“The day we swim from Sri Lanka to India and become the first ever couple to do so! All our training and preparation will be tested on this swim, and we feel we’re ready for it,” the couple wrote in a caption shared on Instagram before the swim.
Their achievement has drawn widespread praise on social media, with many users applauding the couple’s determination, endurance and teamwork. What has made the feat even more remarkable for many is that both Abdi and Prasade work in the IT sector and reportedly began serious swimming training only four years ago.
The couple also documented the challenge extensively on social media to inspire adventure enthusiasts and aspiring athletes interested in endurance sports and open-water swimming.
Their successful crossing is now being described as a landmark moment in Indian open-water swimming, setting a new benchmark as the first couple to complete the demanding Sri Lanka-to-India Ram Setu route together.