Meet the show-stoppers at the 14th Natl. Masters Swimming Championship-2017

While some young people lack the zeal and energy within them, senior citizens are beating them hollow and proving that age is just a number as they actively participated in the 14th National Masters Swimming Championship-2017.

The three-day Championship, that concluded yesterday, was organised by Swimming Federation of India at the Chamundi Vihar Stadium in Mysuru.

The competition swelled with inspirational swimmers who had been through a roller-coaster journey in their lives and each had a story to tell. Youthfulness still flows in their blood. Star of Mysore met three such inspirational individuals at this event who defied age and have shown to the world that age isn’t a parameter to  stop you from dreaming.

Dr. Bhagwati Oza craves for adventure even at 81

Is she the Super-Girl that India has been looking for? It is truly said that age is not a barrier to the spirit of adventure and this woman has proved it right.  Hailing from Rajkot, Dr. Bhagwati Oza, aged 81, is a Gynaecologist by profession who has had the immense satisfaction of working with Mother Teresa during a relief work in Morbi at the time of Machchhu Dam disaster in 1979 where over 25,000 people were killed.

She is also an inspiring athlete, swimmer and a long-distance cyclist. She was one lady who stood out from the rest at the just concluded National Masters Swimming Championship in Mysuru. A complete all-rounder, she has bagged 4 Gold medals in this event and aims to win more in the coming years.

She uses cycle as her mode of transportation for the concern of pollution. She has covered several miles on her cycle for supporting a cause. She has pedalled from Kolkata to Kanyakumari, Kutch to Kochi, Vadodara to Wagah border, Pune to Ahmedabad, Pune to Bengaluru, etc.  Being a gynaecologist, her causes cater to safe motherhood in villages (Mathru Swasthyam), and they also train tribal girls in various subjects and physical education to deal with the world.

Bhagwati jumped her attention towards competitive sports after she crossed 65. Till date she has participated in several District, State, National and International events and bagged more than 200 Gold medals. She has represented Indian Veterans in USA swimming competition. A scuba diver, she also practices white water rafting.

She goes for mountaineering expeditions and has been trained by Dr. Tensing Norgay, one of the first two individuals known to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which he accomplished with Edmund Hillary on 29th May 1953. She has been honoured by the then President of India Pranab Mukherjee in 2016 with ‘The National Sports and Adventure Award.’

The Ministry of Sports, Gujarat, conferred Dr. Bhagwati with a ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ in 2017. She is definitely the Wonder-Woman of India, who lives for her passion and craves for adventure even at this age.

She is also a painter and a musician who finds peace in singing Ghazals and Bhajans. She has also conquered the air, as she is a trained pilot, and her journey speaks volumes. She has served the Indian Army as a Home Guard Commandant in Kargil region at about 10,000 feet high at the age of 65.

She says, “Age has never stopped me from doing anything. I love challenges and that’s why I repeatedly keep beating them.” Dr. Bhagwati is a source of inspiration to many youngsters who have lost the sight of their goals at a very early age. At this age, she now plans to learn paragliding.

Exercise and fitness morale-boosters for Om Seth

Om Seth, an 82-year-old young man, is an asthma patient but that has not deterred him from participating in the swimming competitions. He is a retired Metallurgical Engineer from Rourkela Steel Plant.  After retirement, he moved to Hyderabad and runs his own business there.

Representing Telangana State at the competition, he bagged 4 medals (2 Silver and 2 Bronze).  He narrates that his journey in swimming has been a fairytale only because of his hard work. His motivation dates back to 2002 when his coach saw him swim and encouraged him to take part in the State and National events as his swimming strokes were exceptional.

Om later won a Silver medal in Rajkot during the 2nd National Masters Championship-2004, which inspired him to take up swimming on a regular basis. In 2005, he bagged 4 Gold and 2 Bronze in Trivandrum. He has also participated in the World Masters Games-2017 held in Auckland, New Zealand, during April 2017 where he secured the 4th place in the 400m finals.

On being asked what keeps him motivated at such an age, he replied that “Age attracts diseases and swimming wards off those diseases.”  Being a member of the Laughing Club and also Taichi (Chinese Martial Arts), he says exercise and fitness are morale-boosters to him.

Follow dreams at any cost, says Dr. Ram Kanwar Sangwan

This man, who is of 80 years, has a double Masters’ degree, a double Post-Graduation Diploma, a Ph.D and an L.LB. to his credit. One might wonder that this man has dedicated everything to his academic career. But the truth is his real passion has kept him inclined towards sports.

Dr. Ram Kanwar Sangwan is an International Athlete and Swimmer hailing from Haryana. He has bagged 4 medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze) at the Mysuru event. He has participated in the 19th Asia Athletic Championship held in May 2016 and won 4 medals (1 Gold and 3 Silver).

He is passionate about long distance swimming and hopes to keep cutting through waters in the upcoming years. He is also a Certified Swimming Coach from the National Institute of Sports. He was of the opinion that youngsters these days are absorbed into other things and lack determination.

He wanted to bring a change in the attitude of young minds. He said, “Gold medal is not just a coating of gold alone. Instead, it is a coating of hard work, perspiration, guts and determination and one should not sacrifice his/ her passion to the society and must follow his/her dreams.”

SETTING A BENCHMARK

Age is just a number. If one has a goal, a dream and a passion, and if he/ she dares it all to go behind it, nothing can stop them. The veterans at the 14th National Masters Swimming Championship-2017 have shown that physical fitness is an essential part of every human being, irrespective of age. While the young have turned towards complacent way and settled for a mechanical humdrum kind of life, the Veterans have set a benchmark and shown them a way of life, a life that’s swelled with Passion.