In to the blue sea...

The blue sea was vast.... but the ending was near.....the dream was about to be true......

It is natural for an Indian village girl to swim in a pond or river but can she ever dream to cross the English channel, yes that's an impossible dream. But haven't Rathin da coached her and taught her to fight against all odds, Pratigya would have never dared to dream this.

Rathin Chatterjee,one of the oldest member of Baruipur Swimming coaching club was the National Swimming champion and he won the title 3 times.Baruipur Swimming Club was proud to have him with them for 20 long years....every thing went well unless the dirty politics stepped in to the club.Rathin da was humiliated and was wrongly expelled from the club.With a hatred towards the growing politics in sports,Rathin da decided to coach the under privileged children of the slums and nearby villages.

While visiting his village Rathin da spotted a girl, mere age of 14 took a long dive in the village pond,her body splashed in the water,hand and feet jolted like young butterfly and the body twisted and turned like a fish swimming in the water.Such a talent?

Rathin da got to know her whereabouts. Pratigya was her name, born to a poor family of a tenant farmer hardly had a day's meal.The family comprises of 7 members,the parents and their 5 children of which Pratigya was the eldest.The drought that year had devasted all the crops ,Pratigya's father was in debt till neck and when Rathin da offered to coach Pratigya for swimming,"What will she do learning swimming,she already knows it and this is waste of time,we are looking for a match for her some how if we can marry her off,we have 2 more daughters to marry off." Learning about their proverty ,Rathin da also learnt that Pratigjya only knows to write her name.The family which could not run well,leave alone educating the children.

But Rathin da was adamant and he exactly knew what to do.He convinced Pratigya's parents and help them with some finance and promised to take care of Pratigya when he returns with her to city.Little did Pratigya knew what was to happen in her life.

The city seemed to be enormous with high rising buildings,trams,buses,cars.....the hustle and bustles in the city was different from that of the quite and peaceful life of the village.Pratigya could not understand why this "uncle" brought her here.She missed her village,the river,the fields,the calves..... Rathin da had in the mean time made arrangements for practise in a local swimming club,where he acquired a part time job.He had 2 other trainees. When explained about swimming.....Pratigya laughed and said," I know it already,what is there to learn?"Rathin da replied,"You had been swimming across the pond and river of your village,don't you dream to cross the "Blue Sea"Pratigya gasped a breathe,"S..se..se..sea" That was how the dream was inculcated in the minute brain of the girl.

Then came the regular practise...constant exercise...but alongside these was healthy meal.Few children from the slum joined Rathin da to have their daily meal so was the poverty ridden slums.But Rathin da had not much money and no sponsors ,the quality and quantity of food degraded everyday,the strong exercise,continuous practise was also making the other children fall apart..hence slowly the team which was getting created was now getting destroyed and above all the dirty politics ,rumour spreading people,demotivators were abundance.Hence Rathin da was left with only Pratigya.This girl was staunch at her aim ready to fight against all odds.But Rathin da required more money for training and to top it up on the hurdles,the club asked Rathin da to stop coming and training member who would not pay.Rathin da thus lost this job too.But any sport require lot of practise which causes energy loss and hence more nutrition is required.But those born for the heights can they be stopped.Unshackling all the chains of the society,leaving all the pains and worries aside with strong determination to fight against all odds...and give all the people an answer who called them fools,who tried to push them into the clutches of dirty politics of sports,who insulted them....the answer was ready. Rathin da ran from pillar to post to get an entry for Pratigya in the State Swimming Championship

Without proper food and nutrition in constant exercise and practice Pratigya's body gave up but her mind and heart did not....she did not let her trainer's head bow down and won the State level.Slowly and gradually the national and internatiinal level and after five years of constant meditation came the day .......to cross the Blue sea.....the vast sea...which she had been nurturing in her dreams,which she had been hoping to cross one day.....the cold Atlantic waters stretching its arms perfectly seperating Southern England and Northern France spreading across almost 350 miles.The heavy currents the freezing water were adverse but the determination was great.Pratigya was calm,focused and trusted herself......and hence another championship crown sat on her head........she crossed the blue sea....