Rupali Repale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sagar Kanya
Rupali Repale
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Repale receiving National Adventure Award at the hands of Hon. Uma Bharti, New Delhi 1999.
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| Born | 3 February 1982 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
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| Nationality | Indian |
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| Relatives | Vishal Hinge (Spouse), Swaraj Hinge (Son), Hindavi Hinge (daughter) |
Rupali Ramdas Repale, born on February 3, 1982, in Mumbai, India, is an amazing Indian swimmer and triathlete. She is famous for swimming long distances in open water. On August 15, 1994, when she was just 12 years old, Rupali swam across the English Channel all by herself. This incredible swim took her 16 hours and 7 minutes. She was the youngest person to successfully cross the English Channel that year!
Throughout her swimming career, Rupali swam across seven different straits. These include the Gibraltar Strait, Palk Strait, Bass Strait, Cook Strait, Robben Island Channel, and the Mumbai-Dharamtar Channel.
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Early Life and Her Start in Swimming
Rupali Repale was born in Mumbai. Her parents, Ramdas and Rekha Repale, ran a small business. They moved to Mumbai in the 1970s from a rural area near Pune. They settled in Bhandup, a suburb of Mumbai.
Rupali went to Bright High School & Junior College in Bhandup. Later, she earned a degree in sociology from Mumbai University.
Rupali started swimming when she was very young. She quickly discovered she loved it and was very good at it. Even as a child, she had amazing stamina and could swim for many hours. Her coaches noticed her talent. With her father's support, she began training for long-distance swims in open waters. Besides swimming, Rupali also competes in Triathlon events, where athletes swim, bike, and run. She has won many awards in triathlons too.
Rupali's Amazing Swimming Achievements
Rupali Repale has completed many challenging swims around the world. Here are some of her most famous achievements:
- 1994: English Channel
- 1994: Gibraltar Strait
- 1995: Mumbai to Dharamtar (Two-Way)
- She completed a two-way swim from Mumbai to Dharamtar near the Gateway of India.
- This was a huge distance of 72 kilometers.
- It took her 21 hours and 30 minutes.
- 1995: Sri Lanka to India
- 1996: Bass Strait
- She swam 65 kilometers from Phillip Bay to Melbourne.
- This swim took 17 hours.
- She had to swim inside a special cage because of sharks in the strait.
- 1998: Cook Strait
- She swam 80 kilometers from Pegano Head to Waipiro Bay in New Zealand.
- This was her longest successful swim on the first try, taking 19 hours and 44 minutes.
- 2000: Robben Island Channel (Two-Way)
- She swam a two-way journey from Three Anchor Bay to Robben Island in South Africa.
- This 30-kilometer swim took her 7 hours.
Awards and Special Honors
Rupali Repale has received many important awards and titles for her incredible achievements:
- National Youth Award
- This award was given to her by the President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma, in Bhopal in 1995.
- Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award
- She received this award from the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Uma Bharti, in New Delhi in 1999.
- HIMA Foundation Award
- The Governor of Maharashtra, Dr. P C Alexander, presented her with this award in Mumbai in 1995.
- Sagar Kanya
- This special title, meaning "Daughter of the Sea," was given to her by the Government of Maharashtra.
- Dolphin Queen
- The Government of New Zealand gave her this title.
What Rupali Does Now
Today, Rupali is the founder and director of Rupali Industries. This company makes home appliances that help purify water. In her free time, she loves to coach young, talented swimmers at local pools. She helps them develop their skills and passion for swimming.
Books About Rupali
Rupali's inspiring story has been shared in books:
- A biographical book called Jal Akramile was written about her. It is in the Marathi language by Sumedh Vadavala and published by Rajhans Prakashans.
- Parts of Rupali's story from her book are even included in the school curriculum in Maharashtra state. This helps encourage young people to get involved in sports.
