'If I Stop Today, Dreams Of Thousands Of Divyangs Will Be Shattered': Para-Swimmer Who Crossed The English Channel
Bhubaneswar: At 8.58 am on September 24, 2026, Deepak Kumar Nayak and his team set out to sea from Dover, England. Deep waters lay ahead, dense fog surrounded them, and strong currents made the crossing difficult. What began as a 33-kilometre journey stretched to 58 kilometres for the swimmers who dreamt of crossing the English Channel and dared to attempt it. After about 21 hours and 20 minutes, the team reached the French coast at around 7.18 am the following day, September 25.
“When I held the National Flag from amid the waters, I felt a sense of triumph, not only for crossing the channel but for overcoming the disability which had restricted me from dreaming, at one point in time,” says Nayak, who was born with a physical disability affecting his lower body. He spoke to ETV Bharat after returning from the journey.
The first para swimmer from Odisha to cross the Channel, Nayak says his disability never held him back. It strengthened his resolve to pursue his dreams. “It was bone-chilling cold that day. The other circumstances were equally adverse but the desire to battle the waves was at peak,” says Nayak, who learnt to swim in his village pond at the age of nine.
Deepak is from Semalapadar in Nayagarh district. He was born to Jayakrushna and Nayana Nayak on July 4, 1985. He completed his matriculation at Badakhemundi High School in 2000, followed by his intermediate studies in 2002 and his bachelor’s degree from Khemundi College in 2005. He worked for a private company in Hyderabad for a few years and participated in various national-level competitions but did not win any medals.
After returning to Odisha, he pursued an LLB at University Law College, followed by an LLM at Utkal University. It was during his LLB studies that he found himself drawn to swimming again. In 2015, Shashwat Mishra, then Commissioner of Sports and Youth Affairs, helped Nayak gain access to the swimming and exercise facilities at Kalinga Stadium.
In the meantime, Deepak secured a position as an assistant public prosecutor and was posted in Phulbani. He subsequently received a promotion and moved to Bhubaneswar.
Nayak says he was inspired by Satyendra Singh Lohia, a renowned para swimmer from Madhya Pradesh and a recipient of the Padma Shri. One thought kept going through his mind: “If Satyendra could do it, why can’t I?”
He underwent seven months of rigorous training, spending three to four hours a day in ice-cold water as part of his preparation. “I wanted to acclimatize my body to the frigid temperatures of the sea. I cleared all the medical examinations and got a spot in the ‘Maithula Foundation Swimming India’ team,” says Nayak. The team included Satyendra Singh Lohia, Rajkumar Jharana Kumawat, Ramcharan Pal from Madhya Pradesh and Kantha Rauhal from Haryana.
Recalling the crossing, Nayak describes how the waves kept pushing him back throughout the night. His body had started to give in under the strain of the freezing water. “But I knew if I stop today, the dreams of thousands of persons with disabilities across the country will be shattered,” says Nayak.
Years earlier, the late Mihir Sen became the first Asian to cross the English Channel in 1958. Although Sen was born in Purulia, West Bengal, he spent his childhood in Cuttack. He earned a law degree from Utkal University. “Former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik had provided financial assistance to the late Mihir Sen to help him in his endeavour to cross the English Channel. Today, I am happy to have crossed the English Channel, bringing pride to Odisha once again,” says Nayak.
The achievement is especially meaningful to Nayak as a para swimmer. He credits the people who believed in him and stood by him. “I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Odisha, the Sports Department and everyone who has supported and encouraged me throughout this journey. Sincere thanks to my coaches, mentors, supporters, friends who believed in me and every member associated with the Maithili Foundation and the ‘Swimming India’ team,” Nayak says.
He hopes his journey will inspire young athletes and people with disabilities to push their limits, dream big and move forward with determination. “The English Channel was not merely a sea route; it was a test of courage, patience, endurance, and faith,” Nayak says.
His brother, Niranjan Nayak, says, “Deepak learnt swimming in a large pond in our village. It is difficult for anyone to believe that the same boy from Nayagarh crossed the English Channel. This is not a mean feat.”
