Shashi Tharoor Applauds Kerala Student Niveditha For Swimming World Record With Hands And Legs Tied

Congress Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor recently tweeted about the success of Niveditha, a Class 12 student from Kerala who has created a bizarre world record — swimming the longest distance with her hands and legs tied.

In his tweet, Tharoor conveyed admiration for the young achiever's incredible grit and posted an interesting fact about her dreams. “With Kerala 12th-grader Niveditha, holder of an unusual world record for the maximum distance swum with both hands and legs tied! Asked her what her ambitions were — a swimming instructor? A ship’s captain? Nope — she wants to be an airline pilot!” he tweeted with pride.

Niveditha's success was part of a campaign by the Valassery River Swimming Club in Aluva, Kerala, led by Sri Saji Valassery. The event, known as "Maximum Girls to Swim with Hands and Legs Tied Promoting Water Safety Awareness," involved 23 girls attempting the record swim. Starting at 8:50 am and ending at 9:30 am, the volunteers swam a kilometre across the Periyar River while having their hands and legs bound behind their backs.

The event sought to raise awareness of water safety, highlighting the need for training, discipline, and confidence when in water bodies. The record was ratified on July 8, 2025, with the India Book of Records recognising it.

Netizen's reaction

Tharoor's tweet soon went viral, as people appreciated Niveditha's courage, strength, and unconventional aspirations. People praised her for shattering stereotypes and showing that those who dominate the depths can surely aim to overcome the skies.

One user commented, "Wow what an awesome feat my bestest wishes for Niveditha for her future endeavours." Another wrote, "Ohhh my... swimming with both hands & legs tied... !!! Good Lord !!! Kudos to this girl.. and kudos to her resolve !!! She's definitely goiń a long long way! Wishing her all the luck!" A third user said, "From the depths of the ocean to the heights of the sky — young Niveditha clearly refuses to be circumscribed by the element of water. Bravo, Captain of Words."