Shantipriya Roy Chowdhury

Taherina Nasreen, hailing from Nimdighi in Uluberia, Howrah, has carved a place for herself in history as the first Muslim woman swimmer to conquer the English Channel.

A seasoned long-distance swimmer, Taherina has dedicated over 13 years to the sport. Her remarkable achievements include crossing both the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar—two of the world’s most challenging open-water routes. She completed the English Channel swim on September 3, 2015, in 12 hours and 38 minutes, and the Strait of Gibraltar on August 11, 2022, in an impressive 4 hours and 23 minutes.

But this determined swimmer from Bengal is far from done. With her sights set on an even greater goal, Taherina dreams of completing the legendary “Seven Seas” challenge. As part of this mission, she plans to attempt the Cook Strait in New Zealand next March, followed by the North Channel between Ireland and Great Britain later the same year.

Taherina Nasreen holding Indian flag after accomplishing a challenge

However, the path ahead is not without hurdles. Raising nearly ₹30 lakh for these expeditions remains her biggest challenge. So far, Taherina has funded most of her achievements herself—drawing from her father’s business, bank loans, and personal savings from her job. She spent approximately ₹12 lakh on her English Channel swim, ₹8 lakh on the Gibraltar crossing, and another ₹6 lakh on the Swim Bangla Channel.

Her accomplishments also include crossing Bangladesh’s Swim Bangla Channel—first as a single crossing in 2018 and then as a double crossing in 2019—both self-funded. On January 9 this year, she added another milestone by becoming the first Bengali woman to cross India’s oldest channel, known as the “Gateway of Dharma.”

Despite financial constraints, Taherina remains resolute. She is determined to conquer the “Sapta Sindhu” (Seven Seas), no matter the odds. A protégé of the late Masudur Rahman, she combines the endurance of a long-distance swimmer with the speed of a sprinter.

While she continues to seek sponsorship support, there has been a recent ray of hope. An organisation based in Uluberia, Friends Enterprises, has come forward with financial assistance and pledged to support her ongoing journey across the seas.

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Undeterred by challenges, Taherina Nasreen continues to swim against the tide—driven by grit, ambition, and an unyielding dream.