Udupi: Gopal Kharvi sets Guinness World Record in Swimming

Udupi, Dec 1 2013: Gopal Kharvi, a fisherman and also a swimmer, finally made into the Guinness Book of World Records by setting a record, swimming from St. Mary's Island to Malpe beach with his hands tied behind his back and legs chained, on Sunday December 1, 2013. Kharvi started from the St. Marys Island at 7.37 a.m., and took 2 hours, 43 minutes and 45 seconds to complete the 3.07-km distance.

Udupi Circle Inspector Maruthi Nayak had chained Goapl  Kharvi's hands behind his back and also the legs. Adjudicator of Guinness World Records, London UK Praveen Patel M R, Udupi Shiroor Math's Sri Laxmivara Theertha Swamiji, S Siddaraju- Guinness record-holder for peeling coconuts with his teeth, followed Gopal Kharvi on the boat throughout his swimming journey.

A large number of people had gathered at the Malpe beach to watch the event. Udupi district minister in-charge Vinay Kumar Sorake, MLA Pramod Madhwaraj, Udupi-Chikmagalur MP K Jayaprakash Hegde, former MLA Raghupathi Bhat, Udupi Zilla panchayat president Upendra Nayak, Fish Federation president Yaspal Suvarna were also present. 

Gopal Kharvi, speaking to the media persons said, "The world record has brought me great pleasure and satisfaction, the record is the reward for my aspirations and hard work. The heavy tides and wind caused some hurdles for swimming in the beginning, but I have accomplished the task. The aspiration for creating the world record started in 2006 where I had the desire to swim in the sea using the concept of Shavasana. My financial situation was a hurdle but Jagadish Upadyaya pledged his property in a bank for Rs 3 lacs to support me financially. Various associations also came forward with financial support which has helped me to create a Guinness World Record".

Vinay Kumar Sorake speaking on the occasion said, "Gopal Kharvi's achievement has made the Nation proud. The government will provide necessary help to Kharvi to pay back the borrowed money which had helped him to create the Guinness world record".

Pramod Madhwaraj MLA, Udupi said that government needs to provide job security to Kharvi so that being a great achiever, he can lead a dignified life. The initiative will be taken to provide job by consulting the CM and the Minister in-charge District.

Praveen Patel declared the world record and felicitated Kharvi with the official certificate.

Gopal Kharvi had completed the same distance on January 8, 2012, but the achievement did not make it to the Guinness Book because the feat was not recorded with a GPS camera. At that time he took two hours, 45 minutes and 14 seconds to cover the distance. Gopal Kharvi is from Sasthan near Kodikanyana village in Udupi district, he had earlier swam from Hungarcutta to Katapady in 2003 and from Gangolli to Malpe in 2004. He is also a auto-rickshaw driver.

Y Ravindranath Rao, Head of the Department of Sociology at SMS College, Brahmavar, philatelist and Guinness record holder Daniel Monteiro had also supported Kharvi in his quest to create the world record.

SP Dr MB Boralingaiah, ASP Santhosh Kumar, Annappa B Kunder, Dr KP Shetty and others were present. 

CONTENT SOURCE: http://www.mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=442340